GALLOWAY's REPUBLIC: George Galloway on the Decline of the British Monarchy

GALLOWAY's REPUBLIC: George Galloway on the Decline of the British Monarchy
by Darius Kadivar
22-Aug-2010
 

George Galloway and Piers Brendon, author of Decline and fall of the British Empire, discuss the British Monarchy and their hopes of seeing Britain Become a Republic. From Talksport radio show, December 19th, 2009.

Recommended Reading:

The Decline and Fall of the British Empire, 1781-1997 by Piers Brendon

Our Own Dear Queen by Piers Brendon

Related Blogs on the Con' s of the Monarchy:

RESTORATION: Prince Charles, The Meddling Prince (5 Parts)


David Starkey's "Last Word" With Maryam Namazie about Iran and the Monarchy (More4 TV April 19th, 2006)
 

Related Blogs on the Pro's of the Monarchy: 

HISTORY FORUM:The Monarchy with David Starkey (Cambridge University)

HISTORY FORUM: How Truly Democratic is The British Monarchy ?

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Arash Kamangir

George Galloway is a opportunist!

by Arash Kamangir on

George Galloway is a opportunist who has taken advantage from the so-called "rise of islam" and has tried to approach the moslem communities in UK. As there has not been many other politicians who care much for moslem communities in UK, this opportunist person has succeeded in getting many votes from moslems. We are talking here about a person who had close relations to deposed saddam hosein and recieved money from his regime.


Darius Kadivar

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George Galloway's victory in Bradford West highlights a worrying trend for Labour – it is failing to become the natural home for opposition voters. 

 

 

George Galloway win puts spotlight back on Ed Miliband. 

 

Labour leader was enjoying David Cameron's nightmare week, but Bradford West result has shocked his party

 

 


Farah Rusta

Oh no question about the 'coup'!!

by Farah Rusta on

Sorry for the typo Tovarish jan. I meant Shahrivar 1320 (when the good Allied forces invited themselves into Persia in order to help Mother Russia) to Mordad 1332 when the 'coup' was was well in progress until it was thwarted, first by a bungled counter-coup and three days later by a popular uprising. Oh, I never disputed the Mosaddegh's coup Tovarishi.

FR


comrade

استاد بلا منازع، فرح روستا

comrade


I had to rely on your Victorian calendar dates.

So sad, indeed;

By the time I was born, the glory of the great Cyrus and the innocence of the living king was gone. Our generation, Farah, became a "history junkie bunch" for a reason which still exists.

I was born in the year some people call it the year of the coup, some call it which-coup?

 

"Learning carries within itself certain dangers because out of necessity one has to learn from one's enemies."



 


Farah Rusta

Yes we did tovarish jan

by Farah Rusta on

See the newspapers and magazines published between Shahrivar 1332 to Mordad 1332 (August 1941 - August 1953) including but not limited to Chelengar, with strong links to your own party :)

Sadly they abused their press freedom to the point of printing abusive and promiscuous material against monarchy. Well, they learned their lesson the hard way.

So sad :(

 

FR


Darius Kadivar

FYI/ Democracy Index as published in January, 2008

by Darius Kadivar on

The Democracy Index is an index compiled by The Economist examining the state of democracy in 167 countries, attempting to quantify this with an Economist Intelligence Unit Index of Democracy which focused on five general categories: electoral process and pluralism, civil liberties, functioning of government, political participation and political culture. (More Here

RESULTS for 2008: 

Constitutional Monarchies rank the highest in this scale as Full democracies ...

Sweden and Norway both Constitutional Monarchies Come First and Second respectively as the most democratic Countries in the list.

Interestingly according to this study Spain ranks 15  (8.45) above  the United States 18 (8.22) and Great Britain 21st (8.15) ... and France 24th (8.07)

Democracy Index as published in January, 2007.
The palest blue countries get a score above 9.5 out of 10 (with Sweden being the most democratic country at 9.88), while the black countries score below 2 (with North Korea being the least democratic at 0.86).

This index is also refered in following article in Radio Zamaneh via Payvand:

Mehdi Karoubi say's "Iranians should be allowed to choose the form of their government"


comrade

Crown VS Democracy

by comrade on

The mere fact that people can talk against the monarchy so freely is a priceless token of democracy. Did we ever have it, like that?

"Learning carries within itself certain dangers because out of necessity one has to learn from one's enemies."



 


vildemose

 Every despot he has

by vildemose on

 Every despot he has befriended in the past has been resigned to a swift demise. Ahmadinnerjacket will prove to be no exception.


R2-D2

I Was Looking Through "WikiLeaks" Today ...

by R2-D2 on

And Came Across This:

//twitter.com/wikileaks/statuses/21824754845

 

 


Farah Rusta

Crown is on the side the people in Britain

by Farah Rusta on

To understand the British or indeed any European monarchy it is essential to know that monarchy is not there as an act of charity or a favor. Monarchy (or the Crown in British term) is empowered by the people and represents them. In the US when a criminal who has committed an offence is brought to court, he/she is prosecuted by the People (say People against Joe Blogs) but in Britain it is the Crown vs so and so. Why do you think this is? The answer is that the Crown as an integral component of the British democracy represents the interests of the people above and beyond the party political disputes. The person of the monarch is the ultimate arbiter in matters of huge national interest/concern if and when the ruling and the opposition parties are in a hung situation. You cannot find such a system in republican systems as even the non-executive president has a party-political past and is not totally impartial.

I cannot speak for the rest of the monarchist camp but I am sure myself and the author of this blog are on the same side on this issue.

FR


reader1

Farah: Point taken, but I cannot see ...

by reader1 on

how the British monarchy has anything to do with preserving and  protecting British democracy. Democray is protected by people and not monarchs. British people were gracious enough to give monarchy a job to do after Cromwell but the non-partisan role is a people given role. I am not convinced that those supporting the return of monarchy in Iran seek similar sort of role.


Farah Rusta

Reader1, we are talking about post-Cromwell!! :))

by Farah Rusta on

The British parliamentary democracy, post "glorious revolution" has been the model for all the ensuing democracies in the world. You are talking about the period where the Parliament was not the sovereign. I hope you follow.   

The British were/are much wiser than Iranians in keeping a non-partisan institution (this is the whole point by the way) i.e. the crown as a mediator/moderator that works in the interest of the people and free from ideological and political influence.

 

FR


reader1

British Monarchy not always protected democracy by will

by reader1 on

I have always admired Galloway for his oratory skill  until his appearance in the British Celebrity Big Brother  show where he made such a fool of himself. I am not quite sure I agree with Farah’s assertion that  British monarchy has preserved and protected British democracy  - history tells me otherwise.  Throught history British Monarchy fought with establishment of democracy in UK. In 13th century when the British Charter  (Magna Carta – aka  UK  unwritten constitution.) was issued to limit the power of monarchy it was strongly opposed by  King John and mediavel rulers. They objected to the notion that no "freeman"  could be punished except through the law of the land. Iranians also fought monarchy and nearly succeded in abolishing it but were denied of their basic right as “freeman” or “freewoman” by the very freedom loving US, UK and reactionary Mullas.


Farah Rusta

Monarchy: Lynchpin of British democracy

by Farah Rusta on

The point that both Galloway and Brendan are afraid to admit is that the non-partisan institution of monarchy has preserved and protected the very democracy which allowed the kind of Galloway to be elected to a parliamentary seat and incidentally, swear an oath of allegiance to the Queen!

 

Otherwise, idiotic comments can be found in the words of the "elected" republican leaders of the worlds great democracies. Lets find a few examples shall we? 

 

FR


reader1

The point being?

by reader1 on

?