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Single Idea 19798

[filed under theme 24. Political Theory / C. Ruling a State / 2. Leaders / b. Monarchy ]

Full Idea

Ancient monarchs called themselves King of the Persians or Scythians, regarding themselve merely as the leaders of men. Today's monarchs more shrewdly call themselves King of France or England. By holding the land, they are sure of the inhabitants.

Gist of Idea

Ancient monarchs were kings of peoples; modern monarchs more cleverly rule a land

Source

Jean-Jacques Rousseau (The Social Contract (tr Cress) [1762], I.9)

Book Ref

Rousseau,Jean-Jacques: 'The Basic Political Writings', ed/tr. Cress,Donald A. [Hackett 1987], p.152

A Reaction

This matches the Germans being earlier defined by speaking the language, and now defined by a territory. It is more to do with the rise of the modern state than to do with the shrewdness of the monarchs.

The 21 ideas with the same theme [hereditary or elected lifetime leader]:

8240 A true king shares his pleasure with the people [Mengzi (Mencius)]
22541 Kings should be selected according to character [Aristotle]
19936 Kings tend to fight wars for glory, rather than for peace and liberty [Spinoza]
19937 Monarchs are always proud, and can't back down [Spinoza]
19940 Deposing a monarch is dangerous, because the people are used to royal authority [Spinoza]
19885 Absolute monarchy is inconsistent with civil society [Locke]
19972 The nobility are an indispensable part of a monarchy [Montesquieu]
19974 Monarchs must not just have links to the people; they need a body which maintains the laws [Montesquieu]
19976 Ambition is good in a monarchy, because the monarch can always restrain it [Montesquieu]
19978 In monarchies, men's actions are judged by their grand appearance, not their virtues [Montesquieu]
19985 In a monarchy, the nobility must be hereditary, to bind them together [Montesquieu]
19986 Monarchies can act more quickly, because one person is in charge [Montesquieu]
21097 Modern monarchies are (like republics) rule by law, rather than by men [Hume]
19798 Ancient monarchs were kings of peoples; modern monarchs more cleverly rule a land [Rousseau]
19831 The highest officers under a monarchy are normally useless; the public could choose much better [Rousseau]
19833 Hereditary monarchy is easier, but can lead to dreadful monarchs [Rousseau]
19834 Attempts to train future kings don't usually work, and the best have been unprepared [Rousseau]
19589 The whole point of a monarch is that we accept them as a higher-born, ideal person [Novalis]
22677 A monarchical family is always deeply concerned with the interests of the state [Tocqueville]
23151 A monarch is known to everyone in the group, and can thus unite large groups [Russell]
23839 A lifelong head of society should only be a symbol, not a ruler [Weil]