Bertrand de Jouvenel at 110

110 years ago today, Bertrand de Jouvenel was born.

Happy Halloween!

Want to scare the crap and the living daylights out of your neighbors?

Hold a No Such Halloween Party at your place and bug it completely and obviously, i.e., dress it up as the surveillance state.

Turkish Interregnum at 90

Nine decades ago today, Turkey was proclaimed a republic.

Although my sympathy is primarily with Christendom and its monarchies, I do regret the fall of the Ottoman Empire as a monarchy and a party on the Central Powers side of the Great War.

Norwegian Abdication

Nine dozen years ago today, King Oscar II abdicated the ancient throne of Norway.

The dissolution of the Swedish-Norwegian union was not merely a dissolution, but it was also – unfortunately – a major step on the way to emasculated monarchy and all but absolute democracy.

Rockwell on the Madness

Lew Rockwell gives his take on what has been going on in the American federal capital:

Lecky Passing

Eleven decades ago today, William Edward Hartpole Lecky, who stood up against the rising age of democracy, passed on from this world.

Blessed Charles' Feast Day

Today is Blessed Emperor-King Karl's Feast Day. A century and two years ago today, then Archduke Karl married Princess Zita.

The weblog The Guild of Blessed Titus Brandsma informs of some relevant events.

Kirk

Five years short of a century ago today, Russel Kirk was born.

Scaffold Queen

220 years ago today, Queen Marie Antoinette was brutally murdered.

Tea Act Opposed

A dozen score years ago today, the Tea Act was criticized in the “Philadelphia Resolutions.”

An Election

32 – or two to the power of five – years ago today, His Majesty King Olav V appointed the first Willoch Cabinet.

Shortly there will be another Conservative Party led Cabinet.

Yours truly voted in the election that led up to this situation with a blank ballot.

Those with high expectations I am afraid are bound for some disappointments. Some improvements may come. However, they are quite certain to be rather feeble compared to the whole picture. Of course, the optimists are free to prove yours truly wrong.

The media already on the first day after the election had apparently proclaimed the end of the monarchy, announcing our “new First Family”:

To Remain Silent...

The Money and Political Madness

Peter Schiff has some takes:

Ron Paul reflects as well:

Scruton on Democracy

Over at BBC News Magazine, writes Dr. Roger Scruton:

In my view, the idea that there is a single, one-size-fits-all solution to social and political conflict around the world, and that democracy is the name of it, is based on a disregard of historical and cultural conditions, and a failure to see that democracy is only made possible by other and more deeply hidden institutions. And while we are willing to accept that democracy goes hand in hand with individual freedom and the protection of human rights, we often fail to realise that these three things are three things, not one, and that it is only under certain conditions that they coincide.

Democracy was introduced into Russia without any adequate protection for human rights. And many human rights were protected in 19th Century Britain long before the emergence of anything that we would call democracy. In the Middle East today, we find parties standing for election, like the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, which regards an electoral victory as the opportunity to crush dissent and impose a way of life that for many citizens is simply unacceptable. In such circumstances democracy is a threat to human rights and not a way of protecting them.

Furthermore:

The totalitarian system, I learned, endures not simply by getting rid of democratic elections and imposing a one-party state. It endures by abolishing the distinction between civil society and the state, and by allowing nothing significant to occur which is not controlled by the Party. By studying the situation in Eastern Europe, I came quickly to see that political freedom depends upon a delicate network of institutions, which my friends were striving to understand and if possible to resuscitate.

Cross-posted at The Monarchist.

Poll Results: What Is the American Experiment in Self-Government?

The results for the poll, with the question “what is the American experiment in self-government?,” ending at midnight between September and October, are as follows:

Total votes: 44.

• a failure: 26 (59%)
• something that needs to get back on track and everything will be fine: 16 (36%)
• a success: 2 (4%)

A new poll will be up soon.

Interregnum of Portugal 103

103 years ago today, the interregnal government of Portugal commenced.

Viva o Rei!

The Revolutionary Republic and Christianity

Eleven score years ago today, Christianity was disestablished by the revolutionaries in France.

Democratic Diner and Benedict Arnold

Over at The LRC Blog, Ms. Becky Akers posts a link to a video on democracy:

Ms. Akers also has an upcoming novel, Abducting Arnold, based on Brigadier General Benedict Arnold (Major General in the Continental Army), of which she posted about last month – and also in August.

You can sign up to be notified of the publication of the novel at her site.

Ms. Akers will in addition be doing a talk on Benedict Arnold in February in New York.

Queen Charlotte's Ball

The annual Queen Charlotte's Ball in London will take place this year on October 26.

Mr. Rafal Heydel-Mankoo has more.