Should Britain abolish the Monarchy?

Economic Importance of the Monarchy

Monarchy, in general, is a controversial topic with different views on it. The British monarchy, in particular, is constant, making its abolition improbable. The monarchy has economic importance for the country as it draws the attention of millions of people globally. Tourists are drawn to London, willing to spend hundreds of pounds on sights, souvenirs, and tourist tours. However, critics express doubts about whether it is necessary for the children of the royal family to be in the public eye from birth and not enjoy a real childhood.

Survival of Commonwealth

The monarchy supports the survival of Commonwealth. Many former colonies, Canada, and Australia are united with Great Britain and find a common identity under the crown. Almost the whole English nation is interested in the life of the royal family and feels connected to the monarchy. The monarchy creates common ground, just like in Norway and the Netherlands.

Costs of the Monarchy

The monarchy costs the British taxpayers millions of pounds, with the Sovereign Grant in 2019 being 82.4 Million Pounds. This is an affront to people that work hard to gain their money, especially considering the high unemployment and low income of many citizens. It is questionable why a whole nation would pay millions of pounds for the security and police on the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

Outdated Concept of Monarchy

The concept of monarchy might not be up to date in the 21st century. Nowadays, democracy is prevalent, especially in western countries. The British monarchy is a parliamentary monarchy, meaning that the parliament and the chosen government exercise the authority. However, the reigning king or queen still has powers to wage war, sign treaties, and dissolve the parliament. Furthermore, there is a fair chance that the people might not like and/or support the ideologies of the royal head of state. The fact that the head of state is born into the duty and not fairly elected by the nation or the parliament does not go with the definition of a democratic state and is quite unfair.

Hereditary System and Dual-Class Society

The hereditary system contributes to a dual-class society as the royal family is seen and depicted as rather elite than the rest of the nation. In addition to that, in the hereditary system, nobody is able to make it to the top if they are not of royal descent.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the monarchy might have been an acceptable governmental solution in the past, but these days there are better and democratic options for state administration. The thought of an entirely democratic state is growing with the younger generations. Although Queen Elizabeth the Second might be the current head of state, the full perception of the royal family is becoming a more and more legally redundant interest, which is possibly soon to be abolished by the new generation or at least reformed into a fairer and even concept. Reason enough for this should be inequity, inequality, and immense excess costs.