A long of history reveals the somewhat depressing fact that monarchy is the default. Democracy and republicanism make fleeting appearances in the ancient world, and then again in modern times. But most of the time, in most places, one person or group held all the power, and usually by force. Hitchens is wrong. He doesn’t even pay attention to his own history- after they beheaded Charles I they tried a republic, which failed and became a Puritan dictatorship led by Cromwell. He might have called himself “Lord Protector” but he was as much a king as any. And even after that bout of despotism the English summoned a king. Why? Because it was the default. There was some talk of making George Washington king at the outset of the United States, and a lesser man would have accepted it. Again, when in doubt, some went for the default. The weight of history is against Hitchens’ assertion.
As a teacher, I love your profile page.
I agree, with the codicil that the default social position for Humanity is not so much Monarchism as Oligarchies. They are not quite the same thing.