Mencken 137

A century and three dozen years ago today, H.L. Mencken was born.

On the occasion of yesterday's Norwegian parliamentary election, a quote is brought to you:

[E]very election is a sort of advance auction sale of stolen goods.

In November, the H.L. Mencken Club hosts its 2017 conference – November 3 through 4.

Francis Joseph 187 this Month

As an annual event, Bad Ischl celebrates Austria's Sapphire Emperor, His Late Imperial and Royal Majesty Franz Josef I, around his birthday. This year is his 187^th, which is eleven days from now from now – August 18. The festival takes place August 14 thru 19. More details can be found here.

Upcoming Summer Events

The Russian Summer Ball for 2017 is the 22^nd annual ball in the series. It will take place on Saturday July 1^st.

The Abbeville Institute has a tradition of an annual summer school. This upcoming summer the institute is holding a summer school on Southern identity. The summer school runs from July 9 through 14. It takes place on Seabrook Island, South Carolina. More information can be found here.

The Mises Institute also hosts its annual Mises University July 23 through 29.

We also have an event in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is the annual FreedomFest by Dr. Mark Skousen. This year it takes place at Paris Las Vegas, a new location for the annual Las Vegas conference. It is scheduled to run July 19 through 22. This year is the 10^th anniversary and the 11^th FreedomFest.

Mencken 136

A century and three dozen years ago today, H.L. Mencken was born.

In November, the H.L. Mencken Club hosts its 2016 conference – November 4 through 5.

Francis Joseph 186 Next Month

As an annual event, Bad Ischl celebrates Austria's Diamond Emperor, His Late Imperial and Royal Majesty Franz Josef I, around his birthday. This year, the centennial year of his passing, is his 186^th, which is two days short of three weeks from now – August 18. The festival takes place August 14 thru 19. More details can be found here.

Schönbrunn Summer Night Concert of 2016

Annual concert performed this year Thursday May 26:

More info on the concert can be found here.

Events this Summer

The Abbeville Institute has a tradition of an annual summer school. This upcoming summer the institute is holding a summer school on the Southern tradition and the renewal of America. The summer school runs from July 12 through 17. It takes place in Seabrook Island, South Carolina. More information can be found here.

The Mises Institute also hosts its annual Mises University July 24 through 30.

We also have an event in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is the annual FreedomFest by Dr. Mark Skousen. This year it takes place at Planet Hollywood, as it has since 2013. It is scheduled to run July 13 through 16. One of the most interesting elements at this year's FreedomFest is a mock trial on global warming.

Russian Summer Ball 2016

The details of the London Russian Summer Ball for 2016 have been released. It's the 21^st annual ball in the series. It will take place on Saturday June 11^th.

Mencken at 135

135 years ago today, H.L. Mencken was born.

In November, the H.L. Mencken Club hosts its 2015 conference – November 6 through 7.

Francis Joseph 185 Next Month

As an annual event, Bad Ischl celebrates Austria's Diamond Emperor, His Late Imperial and Royal Majesty Franz Josef I, around his birthday. This year is his 185^th, which is in exactly four weeks – August 18. The festival takes place August 14 thru 19. More details can be found here.

Events this Summer

The Rockford Institute has a tradition of an annual summer school. This upcoming summer the institute is holding a summer school on the age of Homer. The summer school runs from July 7 to 11. It takes place in Rockford, Illinois. More information can be found here.

Another event takes place somewhere else in those United States, namely in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is the annual FreedomFest by Dr. Mark Skousen. This year it takes place at Planet Hollywood. It is scheduled to run July 8 through July 11. One of the most interesting elements at this year's FreedomFest is a mock trial against the Federal Reserve.

Russian Summer Ball 2015

The details of the London Russian Summer Ball for 2015 have been released. It's the 20^th annual ball in the series. It will take place on Saturday June 20^th.

Mencken at 134

134 years ago today, H.L. Mencken was born.

In November, the H.L. Mencken Club hosts its 2014 conference – October 31 through November 2.

Mencken is indeed needed in this day and age. His Notes on Democracy is full of witty wisdom.

FreedomFest 2014

The Las Vegas 2014 FreedomFest took place over a few days in the first half of July. Here are some videos from the event:

More FreedomFest videos from 2014 – and 2013.

Franz Josef 184 this Month

Later this month the 184^th birthday of HLIRM Emperor-King Franz Josef I will be celebrated. The celebration is annual.

There is the celebration in Bad Ischl August 11 through 18. L'Associazione Culturale Mitteleuropa is not celebrating its festival but still organizing a ceremony at a cemetery August 22.

From last year's event in Bad Ischl:

Kaiserfest is a tradition also in other towns of the Habsburg lands. Amongst the towns that have been having such festivals are Görz, Millstatt, and Maria Wörth.

Summer Night Concert at Schönbrunn

Annual concert performed this year Thursday May 29:

More info on the concert can be found here.

Russian Summer Ball 2014

The details of the London Russian Summer Ball for 2014 have been released. It's the 19^th annual ball in the series. It will take place on Saturday June 7^th.

Coming up this Summer

The Rockford Institute has a tradition of an annual summer school. This upcoming summer the institute is holding a summer school on the age of Dante. The summer school runs from July 8 to 12. It takes place in Rockford, Illinois. More information can be found here.

Another event takes place somewhere else in those United States, namely in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is the annual FreedomFest by Dr. Mark Skousen. This year it takes place at Planet Hollywood – where it also was last year, after being moved from Caesars Palace. It is scheduled to run July 9 through July 12. One of the most interesting elements at this year's FreedomFest is a mock trial for American foreign policy – in addition to the theme: “Is Big Brother Here?”

Monarchy vs. Republic in Oslo

Last Sunday yours truly went to a debate at the local Literature House between republican Mr. Erik Lundesgaard and monarchist Mr. Nils August Andresen. The audience was overwhelmingly republican. The debate was organized by the republican movement but open to the general public.

Yours truly is probably considerably more of a paleomonarchist than Mr. Andresen, the former being less satisfied with the status quo than the latter – most likely. Your host blogger is probably more skeptical of democracy and popular sovereignty than the monarchist panelist.

However, Mr. Andresen should be commended for saying:

• The monarch represents balance against democratic power, especially for permanent minorities.
• More democracy is not necessarily a good thing (in every situation).
• The Whig theory of history is incorrect.
• That the King of Norway stood up to the politicians when they wanted to remove the confessional requirement for the monarch was a good thing.
• Democratic institutions may be questioned more in the future.

Mr. Lundesgaard countered Mr. Andresen's concept of balance of power with what nowadays is the concept in use, namely a functional separation (a governmental division of labor of sorts), saying that the concept of balance of power is outdated. Lundesgaard may be right in what is the order of the day. Unfortunately. Fortunately, it doesn't have to stay that way forever.

Lundesgaard stated that the litmus test [note to Mr. Lundesgaard if he should ever read this blog post: litmus test is “syretest” in Norwegian] for being a principled monarchist is if you would set up a brand new state with a monarchy. Andresen responded that he didn't accept his definition of a principle, stating that he hoped that such a situation never should be the case, previously having stated that he would not set up a new monarchy.

Andresen and yours truly seem largely to be in agreement that constitutional design is not a good thing. Let's remember the wise words of Edmund Burke; that constitutions are grown, not made.

Yours truly might be more inclined to set up a new monarchy than Mr. Andresen, but it would all depend on the situation. It is not considered normal to establish new monarchies in this day and age, but a new monarchical age may dawn. Yours truly may be more welcoming to such a new age than Mr. Andresen, but he can speak for himself.

Mr. Lundesgaard claimed that it is only a question of time before we have a Norwegian republic. He also claimed to know about a lot of closet republicans. The Norwegian republicans in 1905 thought King Haakon VII's reign would be a short one. They were wrong. The republicans can be wrong again.

As for the possibility of closet republicans, Lundesgaard may be right. However, there are probably quite a few closet democracy skeptics as well.

Several republicans had the floor for comments and questions. There was a Dane who apparently tried to demolish Mr. Andresen's concept of historical legitimacy by stating that Denmark has a historically legitimate claim to Norway. The Dane did not mention that Denmark-Norway was based on a union treaty, not on some sort of ownership by Denmark of Norway. In any case, the Danish republican apparently thought that historical legitimacy means that anything that has been in the past can be justified, an interpretation that was effectively rejected by Mr. Andresen. Andresen also in a way made a case for the union of Denmark and Norway, historically, also culturally during the union with Sweden. Your host blogger would say that the good aspects of Denmark-Norway have been underrated.

A Swedish republican also took to the floor and managed to say that democracy is the finest thing there is. Seriously? Some democratic-republicans apparently have a deviating view of what is the finest thing there is (most people find this outside the realm of politics – enough said). You cannot make this stuff up. Mr. Andresen, being a gentleman, did not fall for the temptation to make a point out of that. He merely took note that there are different views on democracy, and that republicans apparently don't acknowledge those other views.

Mr. Andresen did a good job in the debate. Although he apparently is far from as paleo as yours truly, he should be commended for being – philosophically at least – considerably more balanced on democracy than the general pseudo-religious democracy view that is so common in these times.

BTW, popular support for a restoration in Serbia – through an opinion poll not too long ago – of around 40 percent is fueled by exactly the kind of dropping faith in democratic institutions – or the elected politicians – that Mr. Andresen talked about. 40 percent is more than ditching the monarchy has ever received in any opinion poll in Norway for at least some decades. And republicans have the nerve to claim that once a monarchy is gone no one – apart from very minor groups – ever seriously wants it back!

We should also keep in mind the opinion poll conducted in connection with the Norwegian coronation centennial in 2006, where 20 percent approved of increasing regal powers – 30 percent amongst those thirty and younger.

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.