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From: mmt@dciem.UUCP (Martin Taylor)
Newsgroups: net.misc
Subject: Re: The love affair between the "news" media and British non-commoners
Message-ID: <718@dciem.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 18-Feb-84 13:54:07 EST
Article-I.D.: dciem.718
Posted: Sat Feb 18 13:54:07 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 18-Feb-84 18:22:40 EST
References: <935@pegasus.UUCP>
Organization: D.C.I.E.M., Toronto, Canada
Lines: 27

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Perhaps the Royal Family has the Right of Way. :-)
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Actually, my failing memory tells me that they do.  So does the Royal Mail.

I am sometimes puzzled by the failure of people in republics to see the
benefits of having a Royal family (which really implies that there should
also be a nobility).  It's a great way to split loyalty to the country
from loyalty to a political party or regime.  Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition
is the "official" name of the minority in Parliament, and one shouldn't
forget the "Loyal".  A second function of Royalty is precisely to provide
the pageantry that people seem to need as a symbol of patriotism.  Many
US Presidents have had problems with both needing and needing to avoid
this kind of pageantry.  It also helps a little in preventing the
development of political "cults of personality".

Another valid reason for having a Monarch is that there exists a person
who cannot be suspected of ulterior political motives, but who is able
by training and by position to advise the politicians in power.  With
luck, the advice may help in maintaining sane policies.  Do you think
King Juan Carlos of Spain has had nothing to do with the return of
democracy and political stability after Franco?  Could he have done it
as a politician?
-- 

Martin Taylor
{allegra,linus,ihnp4,uw-beaver,floyd,ubc-vision}!utzoo!dciem!mmt