Abolish the Monarchy: Why we should and how we will

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It is a great introduction to republican ideas and arguments for the undecided layman, but for those of us who are already convinced, I can say that I would like to see a far more equitable future than the tepid liberal democracy that Graham Smith envisions. Elizabeth was not doing the good work I thought she was, and in all this time, the royal family have definitely wielded power. Charles, even before Diana's death, was clearly a selfish fool and his father was already infamous for his foul faux pas. But due to their protections from Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, yet again the whole picture is not easy to obtain.

In every case it was obvious the reviewer had never read the book at all and had just decided that Smith must have ignored all these classic arguments (because they're so strong, right? And the backend of the book title is also covered with process of removal of the monarchy and how a republican replacement can be introduced.Smith correctly points out in this fantastic manifesto the fact that British media and public discourse does not allow for even a shred of anti-monarchy (thus pro-democracy) sentiment in the media or other spaces of debate, lest the lumpen learn that they’ve been duped into supporting their own (by all objective measures of wealth and political power) oppressors. Having said that, I thought the book would be a bit more balanced and do more to try and win over people who are on the fence. Smith's writing style is often condescending and he makes a number of personal attacks on the royal family. If you were hoping that the fall of the Windsors would at least mean no more tampon metaphors, think again.

Rather than the monarchy defending the constitution and, by implication, the British people, it has been the responsbility of subjects to defend the monarch not from injustice or tyranny, but from embarrassment.As the country faces a growing number of crises we’re heading for a crisis of confidence in our constitution, our head of state and the whole political system. Sadly, the author neglected to mention the London School of Economics’ massive public consultancy on this issue which happened in recent years and managed to get a lot of interest. At just over 200-page the shortest polemic which effectively dismisses all the arguments for the monarchy. Indeed, perhaps to burst any preconception that he is a Cromwellian killjoy, Smith spends the first few pages chronicling a tour of Buckingham Palace he took with his nephews. Smith, understandably, stays silent on the cases of the Commonwealth and the Protectorate, involving as they did regicide, military dictatorship and ultimately the kind of dynasticism that republicanism is meant to impede.