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Monarchism

Monarchism is the advocacy of the establishment, preservation, or restoration of a monarchy as a form of government in a nation. A '''monarchist''' is an individual who supports this form of government out of principle, independent from the person, the Monarch. In this system, the Monarch may be the person who sits on the throne, a pretender, or someone who would otherwise inhabit the throne but has been deposed. Any person who claims the throne from which an ancestor has been deposed is known as a pretender. Monarchism focuses on the ''system'' of monarchy, according to some, and some people argue that the term "monarchist" must be distinguished from the term "royalist".

Background

In 1688, the Glorious Revolution in England and the overthrow of King James II of England|James II had established the principles of constitutional monarchy, which would later be worked out by Montesquieu and other thinkers. However, absolute monarchy, theorized by Hobbes in the ''Leviathan (book)|Leviathan'' (1651), remained a dominant principle. In the 18th century, Voltaire and others encouraged "enlightened absolutism", which was embraced by the Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor|Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II and Catherine II of Russia. Absolute monarchy|Absolutism continued to be the dominant political principle of sovereignty until the 1789 French Revolution and the regicide against Louis XVI, which established the concept of popular sovereignty upheld by Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Monarchy began to be contested by the Republicanism|Republican principe. Counterrevolutionaries, such as Joseph de Maistre or Louis de Bonald, sought the restoration of the ''Ancien Régime'', divided in the three estates of the realm, and the Divine Right of Kings|divine right of kings. Following the ousting of Napoleon I in 1814, the Coalition Bourbon Restoration|restored the Bourbon Dynasty in pushing Louis XVIII to the French throne. The ensuing period, called the Bourbon Restoration|Restoration, was characterized by a sharp Conservatism|conservative reaction and the re-establishment of the Roman Catholic Church, supported by the ultramontanism movement, as a power in France|French politics. After the 1830 July Revolution and the overthrow of Charles X of France|Charles X, the legitimist branch was defeated and the Orleanists, gathered behind Louis-Philippe of France|Louis-Philippe, accepted the principle of constitutional monarchy. The Revolutions of 1848|Spring of Nations in 1848 then set the signal for a new wave of revolutions against the European monarchies. World War I and its aftermath saw the end of three major European monarchies, the Russian House of Romanov|Romanov dynasty, the German House of Hohenzollern|Hohenzollern dynasty and the Austro-Hungarian House of Habsburg|Habsburg dynasty. In History of Russia|Russia, the February Revolution|1917 February revolution resulted in the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia|Nicholas II and the establishment of Soviet Union|Bolshevik Russia and a civil war between the Bolshevik Red Army and the monarchist White Army from 1917 to 1921. The rise of the Hungarian Soviet Republic in 1919 saw an increase in support for monarchism, however efforts by Hungarian monarchists failed to bring back a royal head of state, and the monarchists settled for a regent, Admiral Miklós Horthy, to represent the monarchy until it could be restored. Horthy was regent from 1920 to 1944. In Germany a number of monarchists gathered around the German National People's Party which demanded the return of the Hohenzollern monarchy and an end to the Weimar Republic. The party retained a large base of support until the rise of Nazism in the 1930s. With the arrival of communism in eastern Europe by 1945, the remaining eastern European monarchies such as the Kingdom of Romania, the Kingdom of Hungary, and the Kingdom of Yugoslavia were all abolished and replaced by socialist republics. The aftermath of World War II also saw the return of monarchist and republican rivalry in Italy, in which a referendum was held on whether Italy should remain a monarchy or become a republic. The republican side won the referendum and the modern Republic of Italy was created. Monarchism as a political force internationally has substantially diminished since the end of the Second World War, though it had an important role in the 1979 Iranian Revolution and also played a role in the modern political affairs of Nepal. Nepal was one of the last states to have had an absolute monarch, which continued until King Gyanendra of Nepal was peacefully deposed in May of 2008 and Nepal became a federal republic. One of the world's oldest monarchies (if not the oldest) was abolished in Ethiopia in 1974 with the fall of Emperor Haile Selassie.

Legitimists and Orleanists in France

In France, Louis-Philippe of France|Louis-Philippe abdicated on February 24, 1848, opening the way to the French Second Republic|Second Republic (1848-52), which lasted until Napoleon III's French coup of 1851|December 2, 1851 coup d'état and the establishment of the French Second Empire|Second Empire (1852-1870). The royalist movement only came back in force following the 1870 Franco-Prussian War|defeat against Prussia and the crushing of the 1871 Paris Commune by Orleanist Louis-Adolphe Thiers|Adolphe Thiers. Legitimists and Orleanists controlled the majority of the Assemblies, and supported Patrice MacMahon, duc de Magenta|Patrice MacMahon, the duc of Magenta, as president of the ''Ordre moral'' government. But the intransigeance of the Henri, comte de Chambord|comte de Chambord, who refused to abandon the white flag and its fleur-de-lys against the republican French flag|tricolore, and the May 16, 1877 crisis forced the legitimists to abandon the political arena, while some of the more liberalism|liberal Orleanists "rallied" throughout the years to the French Third Republic|Third Republic (1870-1945). However, since the monarchy and Roman Catholic Church|Catholicism were long entangled ("the alliance of the Throne and the Altar"), republican ideas were often tinged with anti-clericalism, which led to some turmoil during Radical-Socialist Party (France)|Radical Emile Combes' cabinet in the beginning of the 20th century. The ''Action Française'', founded in 1898 during the Dreyfus affair, remained an influential far right movement throughout the 1930s, taking part in the February 6, 1934 riots. Some royalists, such as Georges Valois who founded the ''Faisceau'', became involved in fascism after the 1926 Papal condemnation of the ''Action Française'' by Pope Pius XI|Pius XI. Royalists were then active under the Vichy France|Vichy regime, with the leader of the ''Action Française'' Charles Maurras qualifying as "divine surprise" the overthrow of the Republic and the arrival to power of Philippe Pétain|Marshal Pétain. A few of them, such as Henri d'Astier de la Vigerie, took part in the French Resistance|Resistance out of patriotism|patriotic concerns. The ''Action Française'' was then dissolved after the World War II|war, but Maurice Pujo founded it again in 1947. Some legitimists had become involved in the traditionalist Catholic movement, which refused the 1962-65 Second Vatican Council and followed the 1970 foundation of the traditionalist Catholic Society of St. Pius X by Marcel Lefebvre. Bertrand Renouvin made a breakaway movement from the ''Action Française'' in 1971, the ''Nouvelle Action Française'' which became the ''Nouvelle Action Royaliste'', while some legitimists joined Jean-Marie Le Pen's ''National Front (France)|Front National'', founded in 1972.

Constitutional monarchies

Constitutional monarchies form the majority of the current monarchies. Since the middle of the 19th century, some monarchists have stopped defending monarchy on the basis of abstract, universal principles applicable to all nations, or even on the grounds that a monarchy would be the best or most practical government for the nation in question, but on local symbolic grounds that they would be a particular nation's link to the past. The International Monarchist League, founded in 1943, which has been very influential in Canada and Australia, has always sought to promote monarchy on the grounds that it strengthens popular liberty, both in a democracy and in a dictatorship, because by definition the monarch is not beholden to politicians. Hence, post-19th century debates on whether to preserve a monarchy or to adopt a Republicanism|republican form of government have often been debates over national identity, with the monarch generally serving as a symbol for other issues. For example, in countries like Belgium and The Netherlands anti-monarchist talk is often centered around the perceived symbolism of a monarch contrasting with those nation's political culture of egalitarianism. In Belgium, another factor are the anti-Belgian sentiments of the separatist Flemish movement. In Canada and Australia, by contrast, debates over monarchy represent or represented debates whose driving force concerned each nation's relationship with the United Kingdom and the cultural heritage that that represents. In a nation like Saudi Arabia, finally, opposition to the monarchy may be synonmous with advocacy of democracy or Islamic fundamentalism. As monarchies take many different forms, so too do pro- and anti-monarchy debates. Even a country such as the United States, which has been a republic from its foundation, has some monarchist adherents. The minority are restorationists, who advocate returning authority to Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Elizabeth II as the current legitimate heir of George III of the United Kingdom|George III, presumably as a constitutional monarchy similar to her powers in those Commonwealth of Nations members that recognize her as Queen. However, the majority of American Monarchists believe that United States|America would best be led by an independent dynasty. Otto von Habsburg advocates a form of constitutional monarchy based on primacy of the supreme judicial function, with hereditary succession, if suitability is problematic, mediated by a tribunal http://home1.gte.net/eskandar/ottohabsburg.html.

Monarchist groups past and presentFor a “Directory of Monarchist Organizations,” see Olga S. Opfell, ''Royalty Who Waits: The 21 Heads of Formerly Regnant Houses of Europe'' (Jefferson: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, 2001), 213-216.

Worldwide

- International Monarchist League
- The Society of United Royalists (see external link below)
- International Monarchist Conference

Africa

- Parti National-Monarchiste Algérien (Algeria)
- Abahuza (Burundi)
- Parliamentary Monarchist Party (Burundi)
- Egyptian Royalists (Egypt)
- Ethiopian National Front
- Moa Anbessa (Ethiopia)
- Crown Council of Ethiopia (Ethiopia)
- Libyan Constitutional Union
- South African Monarchy Society (South Africa)

Asia

- Southeast Asia Imperial & Royal League
- Royal House of Afghanistan
- National Solidarity Movement of Afghanistan (Afghanistan)
- National Development Party (Brunei)
- Funcinpec (Cambodia)
- Rastakhiz (Iran)
- Constitutionalist Party of Iran (Iran)
- Sarbazan and Janbakhtegan (Iran)
- Iraqi Constitutional Monarchy (Iraq)
- Rashtriya Prajatantra Party (Nepal)
- Rashtriya Prajatantra Party-Chand (Nepal)
- Vietnamese Constitutional Monarchist League (Vietnam)
- Malchut Israel(Israel)
- Red Turbans (China)
- White Lotus (China)
- Protect the Emperor Society (Qing Dynasty) China
- Qing Dynasty Restoration Organization (China)
- Empire of China (1915–1916) (Attempt by Yuan Shikai to restore the Monarchy)
- Monarchist League of India

Europe

- Movement of Legality Party (Albania)
- Albanian Democratic Monarchist Movement Party (Albania)
- Black and Yellow Alliance (Austria)
- Belgian Union (Belgium)
- National Movement Simeon the Second (Bulgaria)
- Koruna česká (Czech Republic)
- Estonian Royalist Party (Estonia)
- Action Française (France)
- Alliance Royale (France)
- Rassemblement démocrate (France)
- Nouvelle Action Royaliste (France)
- Legitimists, Orleanists and Bonapartists (France)
- Monarchiefreunde (Germany)
- Bund aufrechter Monarchisten (Germany)
- Tradition und Leben (Germany)
- Kaisertreue-Jugend (Germany)
- Union of Georgian Traditionalists (Georgia (country)|Georgia)
- National Alignment (Greece)
- Monarchista Portál (Hungary)
- Orange Institution|Orange Order (Ireland)
- Monarchist Alliance (Italy)
- Movimento Monarchico Italiano (Italy)
- Unione Monarchica Italiana (Italy)
- Klub Zachowawczo-Monarchistyczny (Poland)
- Polska Liga Monarchistyczna (Poland)
- Organizacja Monarchistów Polskich (American TFP in Poland)
- Integralismo Lusitano (Portugal)
- People's Monarchist Party (Portugal)
- National Peasants' Party (Romania)
- Russian Monarchist (Russia)
- Russian Imperial Union-Order (Russia)
- Russian Monarchist Movement (RMD) (Russia)
- Förenade Monarkister Sweden
- Rojalistiska Föreningen Sweden
- Royal Stuart Society
- Serbian Renewal Movement (Serbia)
- Serbian Democratic Renewal Movement (Serbia)
- King's Youth (Serbia)
- Jacobitism|Jacobites (United Kingdom)
- Strafford Club (United Kingdom)

North America

- Monarchist League of Canada (Canada)
- Orange Institution|Orange Order (Canada)
- Constantian Society (USA)

Latin America

- Hermandad Tradicionalista Carlos VII (Fraternité Traditionaliste Charles VII) Argentina
- Movimento Monárquico Brasileiro (Brazil)
- Movimiento Monárquico Mexicano (Mexico)

Oceania

- Australians for Constitutional Monarchy (Australia)
- Australian Monarchist Alliance (Australia)
- Australian Monarchist League (Australia)
- Orange Institution|Orange Order (Australia)
- Monarchist League of New Zealand (New Zealand)

References

External links

- Australians for Constitutional Monarchy
- Australian Monarchist League
- Monarchist League of Canada
- Monarchist League of New Zealand
- ''KaisertreueJugend.org''
- Monarchist Alliance
- ''Royaliste.org''
- ''Monarchisten.de''
- ''Monarchisten.org''; ''Schwarz-Gelbe Allianz'' ("Black-Yellow Alliance") and ''Schwarzgelbes Forum'' ("Black-Yellow Forum"), two Monarchist organizations in Austria. (Black and yellow are the colours of the Habsburg family, former rulers of Austria-Hungary.)
- The Monarchist
- The Monarchist League
- Theodore's Royalty and Monarchy Site
- Monarchy Forum
- Pro-Monarchie.de ''Tradition und Leben'' ("Tradition and Life").
- Yahoo Groups ''Monarchie der Zukunft'' ("The Future of the Monarchy"), founded by Harald Schmautz|Harold Schmautz.
- The Altar and Throne Monarchy Site
- IMC, official site of the International Monarchist Conference.
- Monarchiste.com, an independent monarchist portal. Category:Monarchism| Category:Monarchy Category:Political ideologies

Related Images

- Heraldic representation of the crown that was used by the Italian monarchy.

Sources: StartLearningNow, Wikipedia | Usage license: GNU FDL

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