Monday, March 31, 2008

Quote of the Month

Says a commenter at The Western Confucian:

I've always found it interesting that the U.S. declared war on Bl. Charles's government on December 7, 1917, another date that will live in infamy.
previous

Kingpin Mobsters

Mr. Bruce Koerber at his blog Undoing Socialism:

As you can see, just like a monarchy is similar to a private property owner, democracy is similar to mob rule with a kingpin mobster in charge. They try their best to amass enough power to be able to challenge the other kingpin mobsters (called Democrats or Republicans in the U.S.) all the while enriching themselves and their kinfolk (political and corporate leeches). It is a form of nepotism.

Haydn

23 dozen years ago today, Franz Joseph Haydn was born. He wrote the Kaiserhymne:



See the complete Haydn YouTube list here.

H/T: Tom Piatak (date reminder and complete list).

Redefinitions

Says a commenter at Taki's Magazine:

I would repeat my earlier statement in that the west’s infatuation with democracy and ideological majoritarianism has a lot to do with this and other problems. Once the state was elevated above all other institutions in society and once that state apparatus was separated from a natural order of things (class and aristocracy) via marxism and liberalistic democracy, society was set upon a path of destruction.
One of the facets of the modernity that grew out of the ashes in 1918 and since has developed – or “progressed,” if you will – is the concept that government can redefine anything. This is a a consequence of the Wilson Revolution – or a longer revolution, of which the Wilson Revolution is a significant part, if you will.

Just before Palm Sunday a bill passed the King in Council in Norway for rubber-stamping to be presented to the Storting to redefine “marriage.”

Please feel free to visit or revisit my satire My Bike Is a Car.

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Mitteleuropa

On the occasion of the blog anniversary, the 2006 Giassico Mitteleuropa Festival is brought to you – in Italian, but worth a watch even with no knowledge of the language.



Anniversary

It is today one year since this blog was launched.

It is also one year since parliamentarism was promulgated as part of the written Constitution of the Kingdom of Norway.

Since the launch of this weblog, the Habsburg colors have been introduced as the the blog's colors, more than 400 entries have been posted, and the blog's icon has been honored with a Wikipedia entry.

Celebrate the Old Order

HLIRM Franz Josef I of Austria-HungaryAs the EU-US Open Skies Agreement comes into effect today (more), let's be reminded that the Old World can be visited cheaply.

This year, we will mark 160 years since the ascension of Franz Josef of Austria to the throne. Birthday celebrations normally take place, as they did last year.

While the website of the Austria Imperial event in Innsbruck now seems to have disappeared completely, which is a pretty bad sign, there are other events, such as Kaiserballs in Vienna.

See also this Time article from 1930.

Now, can anyone name a festival for the celebration of the Destructor-in-Chief?

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Kaiser und Baur

Joshua Snyder pays tribute to Blessed Karl of Austria-Hungary and Blessed Franz Jägerstätter.

Swedish Premier Resigned

Hjalmar HammarskjöldOn this day 9 years short of a century ago, Swedish Prime Minister Hjalmar Hammarskjöld resigned, after having lost support for his stand of neutrality in the Great War.

Friday, March 28, 2008

Wilsonianism

A few quotes from the Gates of Vienna:

  • Democracy is socialism applied to the highest level: the form of government.
  • Shaking off Wilsonianism is a worthwhile goal.
  • From Versailles to the UN to the idealism of George W. Bush: we set out to make the world safe for democracy, and ended up making it unsafe for just about everyone.
  • What is rarely recognized is how much Wilson had in common with Mussolini, Hitler, Stalin, and all the other murderous socialist dictators of the 20th century. Like them, he believed that humankind could be reshaped by the idealistic vision of the privileged few who governed them. Like them, he was loath to allow the reality of human nature to stand in the way of his vision.
  • [T]he great crash of 1917-18; which brought down the whole edifice of European civilization (specifically, monarchial European civilization) -- to which Wilson contributed his mite -- was the pivotal catastrophe of modern times.

Thursday, March 27, 2008

The Death of the Danube Monarchy

Habsburger Doppeladler (Habsburg Eagle)James Kurth reflects on factual and counterfactual history of the Habsurg Empire.

H/T: The Western Confucian.

Nepal News

In the Kingdom of NepalSurya Bahadur Thapa, former Prime Minister of Nepal, is apparently departing from his pro-monarchy stand. So Nepal News reports.

The Nepalese Maoists say they will not accept defeat at the polls. So the Himalayan Times reports.

Indian opposition believes the Kingdom of Nepal needs the monarchy. So the Telegraph Nepal reports.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Liechtenstein Not Alone

The Coat of Arms of the Grand Duchy of LuxembourgApparently, Switzerland, Austria, and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg are standing up for the Principality of Liechtenstein. See here, here, and here.

Via the Market Center Blog.

Monarchy Wins

Flag of the Kingdom of BhutanThe Monarchy Loyalist Party wins 44 out of 47 seats in the Bhutan election, while the People's Democratic Party gets 3 seats. So Voice of America reports.

Google News has more.

Austria Departed

The Austro-Hungarian Imperial and Royal Family89 years ago today, the Austro-Hungarian Imperial and Royal Family arrived at the Austro-Swiss border in an Imperial train and departed Austria – under the protection of this weblog's icon, Lt.-Col. Edward Lisle Strutt.

Stefan Zweig reported in The World of Yesterday that he met the Imperial train when reentering Austria. Also, Stefan Zweig committed suicide in the Brazilian Imperial City of Petrópolis in 1942.

Stefan Zweig was at the Austro-Swiss border, at Buchs, when the Imperial-Royal Family departed the land. He regretted the loss of the old European culture. He departed this world in the Imperial City of Brazil, the town that above all represents the old order of Brazil.

Update April 19, 2008: Stefan Zweig's story of meeting the escort was from Feldkirch – on the other side of the border. Also, Gordon Brook-Sheperd's The Last Habsburg reports that the departure from Austria was on March 24. Brook-Sheperd's Uncrowned Emperor reports Monday, March 26. March 26, 1919 was a Wednesday. While the source of my error is an error in one of my sources, I take full responsibility.

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Thinking in a Democracy

It has been said that in a democracy you can say what you think without thinking.

Well...

People generally do, but that's not all...

They take those thoughts to the polls.

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Bhutan

Coat of Arms of the Kingdom of BhutanAs the Kingdom of Bhutan is preparing to go to the polls, William Dalrymple at the Sunday Telegraph does not think democracy for Bhutan is a good idea.

Apparently, MEP Daniel Hannan likes the words of William Dalrymple.

Alone?

Someone apparently believes she is the only constitutional monarchist in those United States.

Monarchy and Parliaments

Regierungsgebäude Vaduz (Tom Ordelman)There is apparently a conference on monarchy and parliamentarism this upcoming June 4 through 6 in the wonderful Principality of Liechtenstein.

Eckartsau Departed

Jagdschloß Eckartsau89 years ago today, the Austro-Hungarian Imperial and Royal Family departed the hunting lodge at Eckartsau of internal exile for external exile in the Helvetic Confederation – under the protection of this weblog's icon, Lt.-Col. Edward Lisle Strutt.

Reason and Imagine

Says Bart Stewart at his blog Reason and Imagine:

I knew I would find myself in some political wrangles when I started up this blog in January. Never did I imagine being called upon to defend democracy against – monarchy!
The post I first commented is here.

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Happy Easter!

Romanov Tercentenary Egg

Wishing all my readers a Happy Easter!

Liberalism in America

Erik Maria Ritter von Kuehnelt-Leddihn's article Liberalism in America has just been republished.

Via John Beeler and Joshua Snyder.

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Constitutional Monarchy

Liechtenstein vineyardA few curiosities.

This page seems to believe that Liechtenstein is a figurehead monarchy.

And there's this memo in the Council of Europe, which BTW is not the European Council, from half a decade ago – in connection with the constitutional amendments in the Principality of Liechtenstein.

The memo states towards the end:

It would not only prevent the further development of constitutional practice in Liechtenstein towards a fully-fledged constitutional monarchy as in other European countries, but even constitute a serious step backward.
The memo apparently does not only know the meaning of backward, but also that constitutional monarchy is just a synonymous term for let-the-politicos-do-as-they-please monarchy.

The memo also states:
[T]here is no generally accepted standard of democracy[...]
Yes? But there is of constitutional monarchy?

Fully-fledged constitutional monarchy? My my, what kind of education do they have at the Council of Europe?

Royal Arrival Celebrations

Royal Coat of Arms of PortugalRadical Royalist blogs about the 200th anniversary of the Royal Court of Portugal in Rio de Janeiro.

Sark Again

Flag of SarkNot too long ago, the Times reported on the recent tragedy of Sark.

Saturday, March 8, 2008

Hans-Adam II Says

Seiner Durchlaucht Fürst Hans-Adam II von und zu LiechtensteinI came across this interview from just about an Olympiad ago. His Serene Highness The Sovereign Prince of Liechtenstein says:

I can only say there are many people who would love to move to Liechtenstein, but unfortunately we are much too small to take them all.
And:
If you look at human history world-wide you see that throughout human history usually monarchies dominated as the form of government and not republics. There have been of course republican periods but they were usually shorter. As an historian one has to ask oneself of course why this is the case. Monarchies can apparently offer some advantages which republics cannot. Probably it has to do with the fact that a monarchy usually offers more political stability over longer periods of time and that the monarch has the tendency to think in generations and not about winning the next elections. I think the combination which we have here in Liechtenstein with a strong monarch, a direct democracy which goes further even than in Switzerland and political decentralization which gives our communities a lot of autonomy could be a model for future monarchies. For a little bit less than a hundred years we have lived now in a republican age, which is not very long if you look at human history, and I think sooner or later monarchies will come back.

Rio, the Capital of Portugal

Dom João VITwo centuries ago today, the Royal Court of Portugal landed in the Brazilian colonial capital, Rio de Janeiro, after having fled Napoleon. Rio de Janeiro became the capital of Portugal.

Elsewhere: Brazzil Magazine

February Revolution

Prince Georgy Lvov91 years ago today, the February Revolution broke out. See here also.

Poll Results: Worst President of those United States

U.S. President Abraham LincolnThe results for the poll, asking which of [the alternatives] was the worst President of those United States, ending at midnight between February and March are as follows:

Total votes: 114.

  • Abraham Lincoln: 50 (43 %)
  • Woodrow Wilson: 42 (36 %)
  • Andrew Jackson: 10 (8 %)
  • Ulysses S. Grant: 8 (7 %)
  • Theodore Roosevelt: 1 (0 %)
  • George Washington: 1 (0 %)
  • Thomas Jefferson: 1 (0 %)
  • Thomas Jefferson: 1 (0 %)
A new poll will be up shortly.

Sunday, March 2, 2008

European Integration Must Go!

The German Cabinet Secretary of the Interior, Wolfgang Schaueble, tells us why:

[T]ax havens are not compatible with European integration.

Erbprinz Alois

His Serene Highness Hereditary Prince Alois of LiechtensteinReuters profiles the Regent of Liechtenstein.

Go Home!

Vaduz, LiechtensteinLiechtensteiners tell Attac protesters to go home. So AFP reports.

Complete Silence?

The Coat of Arms of the King of SpainSome Spaniards don't like the King asking questions. So the Sunday Telegraph reports.