Jenny Kehl
Mr. Bengford
English II WWH 5
March 7, 2006
The
Efficiency of Monarchy
Since before the
birth of Christ, monarchs have succeeded in uniting entire civilizations of
struggling, disorganized people. When Russia sank into the pit of pure communism
under StalinÕs rule, famines and purges reaped the land (HyperHistory.com).
Democracy, of which America holds so dear, does not always honor the victor of
electoral campaigns, causing unnecessary struggles in the Middle East.
HyperHistory.com illustrates how dictators such as Hitler tried to achieve
economic growth for their country and succeeded in leading the entire world
into war and killing 6,000,000 Jews. Even as early as 500 B.C., monarchs
benefited the world instead of plaguing the land, leading mother earth to peace
and prosperity. EgyptÕs progress under the Ramesside reign, Thomas HobbesÕ
brilliant theories on human nature, and ÒThe Golden AgeÓ of Queen Elizabeth I
demonstrate why absolute monarchies prove themselves the most efficient governmental
power.
The Silver Age of
Egypt, victories in war, and Ramses IIÕs concern for his countryÕs
future demonstrate powerful
efficiency a monarchy can offer. From as far back as the eighteenth dynasty,
Egypt was expanding and flourishing, fast becoming a major eastern economic
power. The ÒTough and tenaciousÓ Ramses slaved away year after year to gain
territory for his kingdom (Billard, 229). This demonstrates how the persistence
of Ramses saved Egypt from a cruel demise. Ramses ensured that EgyptÕs army was
fit to conquer other great military forces of that day by supporting and
backing his troops. A strong and tenacious leader, Ramses never failed to join
his army on the battlefield; at times he fought his foes singe handedly without
the support of his cowardly people (Billard, 228). This evidence aids in
demonstrating RamsesÕ valiant military victories. In order to ensure the
preservation of literature and the arts, Ramses took care to broadcast ancient
Egyptian culture into the future. ÒThe Ramessides had a penchant for drama,
preferring hyperbole to history, and built extensively at the religious centers
of Thebes and AbydosÓ (Billard, 228). This shows how Ramses took careful care
of his kingdom in the present as well as considering the future. During his
reign, Ramses acted as a respectable monarch, caring selflessly for his
country. Memorable leaders like Ramses II secured monarchÕs positions for
centuries to come.
A powerful navy,
religious freedom, and a prosperous economy under Queen Elizabeth IÕs reign
prove this virgin queen to be an effective and reliable monarch. With the
growing threat of a Spanish invasion, Elizabeth made educated plans to improve
funding for her naval powers.
ÒThe indignant Spanish King, incensed by English piracy and forays in New
World exploration, sent his much-feared Armada to raid England. However,
the English won the naval battle handily, due as much to bad weather as to
English naval prowess. England emerged as the world's strongest naval power,
setting the stage for later English imperial designsÓ (Hibbert, 216).
Such evidence demonstrates how monarchies provide solace for their country by
building military power to make sure that their people can survive. The
Elizabethan era occurred during a transition period in Europe where religion
pressured people and dominated their lives.
ÒA Protestant at heart, she liked her services, which she attended regularly,
to be conducted in English, but she also liked to have crucifixes and candles
in her private chapels, a predilection that the Archbishop of Canterbury,
Matthew Parker, felt called upon to censure. In the northern counties, indeed,
where a large portion of people remained catholic, little attempt was made to
force observance of any of the provisions of the Acts of 1559Ó (Hibbert, 94)
ElizabethÕs allowance of other religious ventures laid her religious peoples
minds to rest, helping individuals to gain religious freedom. During the
sixteenth century, Elizabeth transformed
England into the center of the western world. With English settlers in America
germinating a blooming English economy, artists began expressing themselves
more freely in courts and ÒEnglish literature thrived during this periodÓ
(Chew). Accompanied with a thriving economy, there can be no doubt that
Elizabeth did indeed complete the ÒGolden AgeÓ (Chew) of England and Elizabeth,
the Virgin Queen, proved herself one of the greatest in a line of many great
monarchs, and earned herself the support of more than just the royal family.
Scientific fact, human lust for power and Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes prove that
monarchies are the only satisfying governmental power of this world. Hobbes
greatly valued scientific and mathematical fact, pertaining theories to human
nature and politics.
ÒAnd as in arithmetic, unpractised men must, and professors themselves may,
often err and cast upon false, so also in any other subject of reasoning, the
ablest, most attentive, and most practiced men may deceive themselves and
infer false conclusions; not but that reason itself is always right reason, as
well
as arithmetic is a certain and infallible art, but no manÕs reason, nor the
reason of
any one number if men, makes the certainty, no more than an account is
therefore
well cast up, because a great any men have unanimously approved itÓ (Hobbes,
23).
Hobbes publicizes the fact that even trained humans can make mistakes and act
solely on their own whim. In fact, humans are only moved in a desire for higher
power and greater riches for themselves alone. ÒGentiles have added their
images that the more ignorant sort, thinking the gods for whose representation
hey were made were really included and housed within them , might so much he
more stand in fear of them; and endowed them with lands, houses, and officers and
revenuesÓ (Hobbes 68). As demonstrated in Leviathan, people only seek personal
gain in riches and territory. With a need to broadcast his political and
governmental views, Hobbes
sought to publish his own book about selfless monarchs and wicked commoners. To
understand where all power lies, people should break power down into two parts;
half should be given to kings and half to God (Hobbes, 381). Hobbes truthful
political opinions helped to preserve the ideals of monarchs in literature,
even today. Clearly, unworthy, selfish brutes cannot be trusted to govern
themselves.
In the past,
monarchies for the most part have benefited the world and proven the
governmental concept efficient. Ramses II physically fought for Egypt to retain
the countryÕs land and power. Queen Elizabeth I proved worthy to run her own
land as she brought around the Golden Age of England. Thomas Hobbes backed the
governmental concept and rallied people to his ideas through literature. In the
past, and even the present, other inefficient forms of government have failed
to excel countries in worldly powers. Monarchies speak for the people and
improve economic and social conditions, making the world a better place.
Works
Cited
Billard, Jules B. Ancient Egypt:
Discovering its Splendors. Washington D.C.: National
Geographic Society, 1978.
Bunson, Margaret. The Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt. New York: Facts on File,
Inc. 1991.
Chew, Robin. ÒElizabeth I Queen of England.Ó LucidcafŽ. December 8, 2005.
January 28, 2006.
<http://www.lucidcafe.com/library/95sep/elizabeth.html>.
ÒElizabeth I.Ó World Book Encyclopedia. Chicago: World Book, Inc. 2001.
Gauthier, David P. The Logic of Leviathan. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1969.
Hawass Zahi. ÒEgyptÕs Hidden Tombs Revealed.Ó National Geographic. September
2001: 32-41.
Hibbert, Christopher. The Virgin Queen. New York: Addison-Wesley Publishing
Company, Inc.
1991.
Hobbes, Thomas. Leviathan. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, Inc. 1994.
ÒHobbes, ThomasÓ World Book Encyclopedia. Chicago: World Book, Inc. 2001.
Hyper History Online. April 25, 1995. Discovery Channel School. February 5,
2006.
<http://www.hyperhistory.com/online_n2/History_n2/a.html>.
Starkey, David. Elizabeth. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 2001.
Thomas, Heather. ÒThe Spanish Armada.Ó The Life and Times of Queen Elizabeth I.
1998-2003.
February 9, 2006. <http://www.elizabethi.org>.
Velikovsky, Immanuel. Ramses II and His Time. Garden City: Doubleday &
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