Haydn at 280

Fourteen score years ago today^*, Franz Joseph Haydn was born.

* There apparently seems to be some uncertainty as to what the exact date was.

Five Years on the Blog

Five years ago today, this weblog was launched.

Previous anniversaries:

• An Olympiad Ago Today
• Leather Anniversary
• 2 Years Old
• Anniversary

The blog was launched on the very day promulgation of parliamentary government as part of our written constitution was made.

Previously this year, a commission proposed a quite extensive revision of the Norwegian Constitution. The proposal contains a lot on human rights, including a provision on unreasonable unequal treatment. A lot can be analyzed and said. Suffice to say that it seems we – or they – now may beget a constitution that gives people all sorts of “rights” from their fellow subjects, instead of just protection against government encroachment. There is little comfort, I believe, in the worries from some politicians that the proposed revision would reduce the power of the politicos.

Views and News from Norway has a story on the constitutional revision.

Apparently, there is also an ongoing project of modernizing the language of the Constitution. There have been projects on modernizing the language of the Bible, and the result does not look good. The current language norm of the Constitution is the official norm of 1903. Although, language issues – of course – are subordinate to issues of content, generally speaking, I say go back to the norm of 1814 – for the Constitution that is.

Mr. Mark Steyn gives some perspectives on something somewhat related:

What Do Monarchists Do?

H/T: Theodore's Royalty & Monarchy Site

War Against Divinity

Over at the NewStatesman late last month, Mr. Bryan Appleyard reflected on the intolerance of atheism.


H/T: The Pittsford Perennialist

Imperial-Royal Family at Feldkirch

93 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 the icon of this weblog, Lt.-Col. Edward Lisle Strutt.

At Feldkirch, the Emperor-King issued the Feldkirch Manifesto, declaring the November 11 power renunciation – so often referred to as an abdication, but erroneously so – null and void, and denouncing the authority of the republican government.

Dreiundneunzig Jahre Interregnum sind genug!

Last Day at Eckartsau

Four score and a baker's dozen years ago today, the Austro-Hungarian Imperial and Royal Family departed the hunting lodge at Eckartsau, where the Emperor-King and his family had been in internal exile since the end of the war, under various protection, the last three and a half weeks led by this weblog's icon, Lt.-Col. Edward Lisle Strutt.

The exhibition of the last meal at Eckartsau

Interior of the chapel at Eckartsau, where the last mass before departure was held

The family left for external exile in the Helvetic Confederation in an Imperial train, also under the protection of Lt.-Col. Strutt, after the latter's clever defeat of Karl Renner's abdication demand.


Photos by your host blogger, September 18, 2011

Goethe Passing at 180

Eighteen decades ago today, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe passed away.

Some quotes:

Yet another one:

None are more enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free.

And another one:

Legislators and revolutionaries who promise equality and liberty at the same time are either psychopaths or mountebanks.

The War of the Vendée

Over at his weblog Fr. Z's Blog, Fr. John Zuhlsdorf reviews the motion picture The War of the Vendée.

Mr. Theodore Harvey also does a review over at his weblog Royal World.

King George Tupou V, RIP

King George Tupou V of Tonga passed away this Sunday.

Requiescat in pace!


Elsewhere: Radical Royalist, Royal World, The Mad Monarchist

The "Arab Spring" and Foreign Policy

This past week there was debate in the Polytechnic Society on the “Arab Spring” and the future of the Arab world and Norwegian Middle East policy.

There was a panel consisting of the Secretary General of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance and a Norwegian under secretary of foreign affairs.

Video recordings are available (in Norwegian).

Yours truly was there and had the floor at two occasions. At the first occasion the questions were:

• what parallels there are between the “Arab Spring” and Wilson's “war to make the world safe for democracy”
• what reflections one could have on no monarchies thus far having fallen during the “Arab Spring”

There was apparently no other learning point from Wilson's war other than to be wary with imposing government systems from outside.

Given that there was so much talk of democracy apparently being the only way into the future, albeit not with without problems, including problems with minority rights, at this debate, and there had been some talk of Qatar, my follow-up question was:

Is it given that if Qatar were to be transformed from an emirate to a democratic republic, it will become a better society?

The answer was somewhat predictable:

Any society that goes from being authoritarian to democratic becomes a better society.

Talk about being categorical! Aparently, no matter how bad democracy turns out, democracy is better. Not surprising, but it is somewhat satisfying to provoke democratists into saying so explicitly.

Hungarian Monarchy and the 1848 Revolution

Over at his weblog, a Hungarian monarchist flies a Habsburg flag on the occasion of today's 164^th anniversary of the outbreak of the Hungarian Revolution.


H/T: Daniel McAdams

Abdication of Nicholas II

95 years ago today, the Emperor of Russia was forced to abdicate.

Language and Democracy

Over at Restorus, Mark Tully gives an example of what can happen to a language when democracy rules. The example is Mandekan.

Thatcher Myth

Over at The American Conservative, Peter Hitchens ponders Thatcher mythology.

The U.S. Federal Government Buying Votes

Campaign money are peanuts.

Says Bill Whittle:

Heydel-Mankoo on the Lords

Over at his weblog Reflections of a Young Fogey, Mr. Rafal Heydel-Mankoo presents reflections on Lords reform (part 2).

Great War Resisters

As the centennial of the start of the war that ended the Old European Order is less than thirty months away, over at The American Conservative, Adam Hochschild gives some reflections on the catastrophe, with emphasis on the war resisters.


H/T: The Pittsford Perennialist

Women's Day 101

It is today International Women's Day.

The “hottest” issue in this northern oil kingdom – or at least one of the “hottest” – these days related to this seems to be drive for military conscription for women. And yes, “men” are involved in this drive.


Previously: International Women's Day

"Freedom" in Russia

Five years short of a century ago today, the February Revolution broke out in the Russian Imperial capital.

Democracy Smart?

People aren't generally smart enough to participate in the democratic process, research shows. So Life's Little Mysteries reports. Royal World comments.

The Ongoing Circus

Mr. Jim Rogers weighs in on the contenders for the Presidential election:

The Southern Avenger, Mr. Jack Hunter gives his take on the mess in the GOP:

A German Work on the Great War

Over at Taki's Magazine, Prof. Paul Gottfried has a review of a book by Prof. Konrad Canis, Der Weg in den Abgrund.

Marriage

Over at his website Restorus, Mr. Mark Tully ponders the development of out-of-wedlock marriages.

The Cavalier's Commonplace Book has a post on “gay marriage.”

Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

Half a dozen years short of a century ago today, the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed, marking Russia's exit from the Great War.

Yngvar Nielsen

Four years short of a century ago today, Professor Yngvar Nielsen passed on.

Yngvar Nielsen was an advisor to and friend of King Oscar II. He was a tutor to the King's sons. Professor Nielsen was a historian, and politically, he belonged to the losing side of the constitutional “evolution” of the late 19^th and early 20^th century.