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| Capital with Lion Mounted by Nude Rider, stone, Northern Spain or Southern France, first half 12th century, Met Cloisters, New York City |
“Every country has the government it deserves.” ~ Joseph de Maistre
A curious friend asked me what do I expect to accomplish as a monarchist in these United States. To her surprise, I said matter a factly, “Nothing.” I don’t ever expect to see a King of America. A caudillo or socialist junta—yes, but a king—never.
I washed my hands of American politics a long time ago. I have no faith in the system. Democracy is a sham and our government is under the control of some very evil people. Thoroughly demoralized, mass man is easily manipulated and periodically whipped into a frenzy for state-approved outrages (Two Minutes Hate) whenever the fourth estate stirs the pot—masterfully moving from current thing to current thing—to fabricate public opinion. Coarse and ignorant, the demos are corrupted by the Revolutionary spirit and have no stomach for traditional authority (Altar and Throne).
So why, in such a hostile climate, am I a monarchist? In short, I’m a monarchist because I believe it is the best form of government. Not a parliamentary or constitutional monarchy mind you, but a federal one with a legitimate sovereign who, by the grace of God (Divine Right), safeguards his peoples’ rights and privileges (Dio, Patria, Fueros e Re). Anyway, this is a discussion for another day.
America, despite what many well-intentioned but misguided patriots believe, is too far gone and will never be “great” again. What passes for the Right in this country is nothing more than a collection of impotent and feckless figureheads serving as controlled opposition for the ruling plutocrats. The Left and so-called Right are two sides of the same coin. Believe you me, if a real political solution ever presented itself I would gladly rally to the cause, but until then, I will remain in apoliteia, disinterested and detached from politics, and do what I can to live an honorable and simple life on my terms.
This doesn’t mean we sit back and quietly accept the abuse and degradation. It means we work within our means to enact whatever improvements we can in our little corners of the world. By this, I don’t mean we just pick up litter and help little old ladies cross the street. Yes, we do that, but more importantly, we inculcate aristocratic and religious principles in our youth and perpetuate traditional values (i.e. raise God-fearing families) in order to one day effectively redress the chaos and confusion of Modernity.
Oblivious to the ideas of hierarchy, fidelity, sacrifice, and duty, not to mention how monarchy works, many modern detractors like to point out the obvious and snidely say, “You will never be king.” Unlike today’s infantile and delusional sans-culottes, the useful idiots fighting for a “workers’ paradise” and fantasizing about being a commissar one day, the ludicrous notion of becoming a king has never crossed my mind.
I know it’s hard for selfish, egomaniacal narcissists to understand, but I’m happy in my station; I’m not looking for power or prestige, I just want liberty and justice. Unlike Milton’s Dark Prince in Paradise Lost, I rather serve in Heaven than reign in Hell. Lord knows, I’m already serving in Hell so why wouldn’t I want to serve in Heaven?
Perhaps I’m being overly sanguine, but after my turn in front of the firing squad, there is some consolation in knowing that these would-be apparatchiks will be lined up against the wall after me when their usefulness is expended. As the Swiss political analyst Jacques Mallet du Pan (1749-1800) famously pointed out, "A l'exemple de Saturne, la révolution dévore ses enfants.” [1]
In all seriousness, the older I get the more dire the world situation looks. Nothing short of a massive reorientation towards traditional rectitude can see us through the inevitable collapse. If I lived on the Old Continent, I would offer more than just moral support to the legitimist Catholic Monarchist causes, but here the sociopolitical landscape has sunk to such depths of depravation that any hopes of stemming the tide is pure delusion. In the oft-quoted words of German philosopher Oswald Spengler (1880-1936), “Optimism is cowardice.” [2]
In his magnum opus, the Scienza Nuova (New Science), the great Neapolitan philosopher Giambattista Vico (1668-1774) touched on the cyclical theory of civilizations. Following his harrowing description of the decline and fall of society he foresees a renewal, a new Divine Age, aka the Golden Age:
I washed my hands of American politics a long time ago. I have no faith in the system. Democracy is a sham and our government is under the control of some very evil people. Thoroughly demoralized, mass man is easily manipulated and periodically whipped into a frenzy for state-approved outrages (Two Minutes Hate) whenever the fourth estate stirs the pot—masterfully moving from current thing to current thing—to fabricate public opinion. Coarse and ignorant, the demos are corrupted by the Revolutionary spirit and have no stomach for traditional authority (Altar and Throne).
So why, in such a hostile climate, am I a monarchist? In short, I’m a monarchist because I believe it is the best form of government. Not a parliamentary or constitutional monarchy mind you, but a federal one with a legitimate sovereign who, by the grace of God (Divine Right), safeguards his peoples’ rights and privileges (Dio, Patria, Fueros e Re). Anyway, this is a discussion for another day.
America, despite what many well-intentioned but misguided patriots believe, is too far gone and will never be “great” again. What passes for the Right in this country is nothing more than a collection of impotent and feckless figureheads serving as controlled opposition for the ruling plutocrats. The Left and so-called Right are two sides of the same coin. Believe you me, if a real political solution ever presented itself I would gladly rally to the cause, but until then, I will remain in apoliteia, disinterested and detached from politics, and do what I can to live an honorable and simple life on my terms.
This doesn’t mean we sit back and quietly accept the abuse and degradation. It means we work within our means to enact whatever improvements we can in our little corners of the world. By this, I don’t mean we just pick up litter and help little old ladies cross the street. Yes, we do that, but more importantly, we inculcate aristocratic and religious principles in our youth and perpetuate traditional values (i.e. raise God-fearing families) in order to one day effectively redress the chaos and confusion of Modernity.
Oblivious to the ideas of hierarchy, fidelity, sacrifice, and duty, not to mention how monarchy works, many modern detractors like to point out the obvious and snidely say, “You will never be king.” Unlike today’s infantile and delusional sans-culottes, the useful idiots fighting for a “workers’ paradise” and fantasizing about being a commissar one day, the ludicrous notion of becoming a king has never crossed my mind.
I know it’s hard for selfish, egomaniacal narcissists to understand, but I’m happy in my station; I’m not looking for power or prestige, I just want liberty and justice. Unlike Milton’s Dark Prince in Paradise Lost, I rather serve in Heaven than reign in Hell. Lord knows, I’m already serving in Hell so why wouldn’t I want to serve in Heaven?
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| Saturn Devouring His Son by Francisco de Goya (1820-23) |
In all seriousness, the older I get the more dire the world situation looks. Nothing short of a massive reorientation towards traditional rectitude can see us through the inevitable collapse. If I lived on the Old Continent, I would offer more than just moral support to the legitimist Catholic Monarchist causes, but here the sociopolitical landscape has sunk to such depths of depravation that any hopes of stemming the tide is pure delusion. In the oft-quoted words of German philosopher Oswald Spengler (1880-1936), “Optimism is cowardice.” [2]
In his magnum opus, the Scienza Nuova (New Science), the great Neapolitan philosopher Giambattista Vico (1668-1774) touched on the cyclical theory of civilizations. Following his harrowing description of the decline and fall of society he foresees a renewal, a new Divine Age, aka the Golden Age:
"And the few survivors in the midst of an abundance of the things necessary for life naturally become sociable and, returning to the primitive simplicity of the first world of peoples, are again religious, truthful, and faithful. Thus providence brings back among them the piety, faith, and truth which are the natural foundations of justice as well as the graces and beauties of the eternal order of God." [3]
Like Vico's survivors, we must embrace our lot and see this madness through to the end. There is no quick and easy fix for this malady; societal collapse must run its course before there can be a rejuvenation. But take heart, there will be a rebirth and a flowering of traditional civilization and a return to the faith one day. Until then, strive for inner detachment and maintain an interior life, keep your honor and dignity, do your duty, and see to your soul and salvation. As St. Padre Pio (1887-1968) wisely said:
“Pray, hope, and don’t worry. Worry is useless.”
~ By Giovanni di Napoli, January 2nd, Feast of the Holy Name of Jesus
Notes:
[1] "Like Saturn, the Revolution devours its children."
[2] Man and Technics: A Contribution to a Philosophy of Life, Oswald Spengler, University Press of the Pacific, 2002, p.104
[3] The New Science of Giambattista Vico, Cornell University Press, 1984, pp.423-424
Notes:
[1] "Like Saturn, the Revolution devours its children."
[2] Man and Technics: A Contribution to a Philosophy of Life, Oswald Spengler, University Press of the Pacific, 2002, p.104
[3] The New Science of Giambattista Vico, Cornell University Press, 1984, pp.423-424
