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[jack_aubrey]

The Muse asks: Which is preferable, democracy or monarchy?Men must be governed, and even in the natural world one can observe the hierarchies of greater and lesser animals. Democracy, it seems to me, must inevitably lead to violence -- one has only to recall the bloody war in America and to see what has been unleashed in France to understand that

Comments

[wildcardgal]

Sadly, both seem equally open to abuses. From the point of view of the underpriviledged, a bad hereditary ruler and a bad elected ruler look pretty much alike.

[jack_aubrey]

Why, I suppose that is true. But I do believe that a bad elected ruler creates anarchy and mob rule, with men attacking one another in the streets...with a King, those loyal to the crown will keep order and the peace even if they do not care for the man himself.

[dancesonclouds]

War tends to show up wherever there are people, regardless of their governmental structure. I'm not trying to argue with you; I can see your position, especially in regards to the situation in France. The problem with France is that the revolution only had a veneer of 'democracy' stuck onto it and this left a vacuum in which a man such as Napoleon could jump in and seize power. I don't see the situation in the United States as being the same. (Unfortunately, my knowledge of your period and country is quite scant; I'm actually more familiar with the history of the United States Navy from the period you would term as the late 19th and early 20th centuries--after your time--so I may not be as clear as I'd like. I must read more.)

Agreed on appointments. I'm thinking of various messes in the Admiralty here, which I'm sure you've also experienced with your own Royal Navy.

[jack_aubrey]

The United States will actually develop a respectable Navy? Oh, dear, ha, ha.

The Admiralty...is perhaps a topic best not discussed in public, especially as I hope to raise my own flag one day. Stephen has ventured the opinion that men become hardened and set in their ways when they rise to the office, and I only hope that it will not be true in my case.