Why Are Monarchs Important

Arianna Ferrante
Mrs. Trapasso
FYW 1000 C
19 January 2018
Relevance of Monarchies
Monarchies like the United Kingdom, Japan, and Spain all still receive great affection and respect. Unlike aristocracy, monarchy holds a country together; they serve as a symbolic purpose. Monarchs represent the whole country in a way that an elected head of state cannot. They uphold years of tradition even in changing times. A monarch can remind their country of what it represents and where their traditions came from, which people can forget during political moments. Monarchies have lasted throughout time, and still stand today in some countries. They continue to prove themselves as an important and beneficial political institution. But are monarchies still relevant

This, however, is untrue. In modern society, monarchs are typically not a sole ruling power, as seen in the United Kingdom with Parliament. Royalty is the uppermost class in a ruling system. They often live extravagant lives filled with grandeur. For example, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom has a royal yacht, a country home in Scotland, Buckingham Palace, and Windsor, the family castle. Royal children are educated at top private schools. However, the president in America is also treated with a lavish lifestyle. He lives in the White House, a mansion that resembles a palace. Although the president is part of a democracy and elected for his role, he stills lives with unnecessary amenities. In comparison:
The British prime minister, the most powerful politician in the U.K. and the American president’s counterpart, gets to live in the comparatively modest 10 Downing Street, an attached office and living area that does not have the absurd amenities that the president enjoys in the White House, such as a bowling alley, swimming pool, tennis court and cinema. Neither the Queen nor her prime minister gets a security detail anywhere near as large as the American Secret Service. (Feeney,