[annalex]

Monarchy: the perfect and perfectly Catholic social organization. Always better than the alternatives.

The Spanish modern weakness only proves the Carlists right.

[Cronos]

Not really. Monarchy is the rule of one despot. It can be an enlightened despot or a depraved one.

Most of human history, the monarchy has been depraved -- even Catholic or lutheran or Calvinistic or Anglican or Moslem or Hindu etc

The best form of government is a republic during peace times and a dictatorship during war. This was clearly apparent in the Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth where the King was powerful but not all powerful and while he could not be deposed, he was elected by the barons

I would not want Obama as King. I would not want most of the Spanish monarchs as king either

the Spanish weakness is more an indictment against welfare state policies (which are intrinsically leftist) rather than about monarchy or not

[Cronos]

Charles IV etc. of Spain were weak ineffectual rulers. Indeed, while not as bad as the Bourbons in France, the Bourbons supported by the Carlists were not good either

A constitutional monarchy has its good points, but a despotic monarchy has none right now. It may have worked in the 14th century but not now.

A rabble-rousing democracy is not ideal either, but a pure republic makes more sense

Even a democracy but a pure democracy like in Switzerland where people vote on every matter can work, but you need to be very small for tha.