A New Kind of Royalty
The Atlantic recently published a story about Europe’s disenfranchised royalty. It included this arresting statement:
“People have a deep, almost spiritual hunger for leaders who are more than mere bureaucrats or legislators. We want symbols.”
Indeed, we do. In countries without a history of royalty, others are substituted. In America, pop stars, sports figures, and celebrities substitute for royalty. In decades past, the Kennedys were treated like a royal family. Today, some treat the Trumps this way.
The obvious problem with all such symbols is that, like much else about today’s societies, it’s hit-and-miss. Sometimes, as with Thailand’s recently deceased King Bhumibol, the person is a living saint. King IX, as he is reverently known to millions of Thais, eschewed a lavish lifestyle and spent the many decades of his reign serving the people. He endlessly looked for ways to make their lives better.
If King IX was a saint, many Thais privately think of his son, Maha Vajiralongkorn, rather differently. (In Thailand, it’s illegal to speak negatively of the royalty.)
If this need for living symbols is a part of human nature, it cannot be ignored without consequences. But how can it be met in a better fashion?
In our proposal for a Celebration Society, we advocate a new fourth branch of government in addition to the legislature, judiciary, and administration. This would be a meritocratic royalty. In no way like a monarchy, people would very selectively invited to join this royalty after demonstrating exemplary service to the society.
Importantly, such royals would receive no special privileges or benefits from induction. They would simply have the satisfaction and respect that come from contributing to society at a deeper level than most.
Lafayette was one of the few historical nobles who understood this mindset of royalty-as-service. He called it noblesse oblige — the obligations of the nobility.
Such royals would lead celebrations and, collectively, select the lead royal. The lead royal, known as the Sarvay (a Sanskrit word meaning for all), would serve a single ten-year term of service, after which she or he (we would favor alternation by sex) would guide the next Sarvay as Sarvay Emeritus. During the term of service, the Sarvay would serve as symbolic Head of State, representing the society.
Importantly, the Sarvay would have much influence but almost no power. His or her power would be limited to breaking tie votes of the Administration Council, comprised of ten ministries.
Lest you think this impracticable, it essentially replicates the system of the lost Venetian Republic, which led the world in maritime and architectural pursuits for over 800 years. They ruled portions of Asia and Africa, as well as a land mass with an area comparable to that of modern Italy.
Had the United States instituted its own royalty, it could not have done better than to induct Benjamin Franklin. Franklin retired at the age of 42 to “a life of leisure”, by which he meant pursuing scientific discoveries, sharing his wisdom, serving as a statesman, and contributing to civic projects — along with enjoying the company of ladies and culture in general. Franklin hoped that the tribute paid to him after his death would be, “he lived usefully”.
That’s, “He lived usefully”, not “He died rich”. This could be a motto for the kind of model society we intend to build somewhere on Earth. It will be a society based on best available evidence, scientific experiments, and continuous evolution in service to the society’s consensually established values.
Those who inspire the society will embody the word nobility. But they will be limited in their authority to the leading of celebrations and otherwise inspiring people. They should be drawn from amongst the Citizens. The other three branches of government will also be drawn from the Citizens. Citizen will not be a birthright but rather an earned office — available to all residents but always hard won through an arduous Rite of Passage.
Citizens will be people who have had to learn to trust each other with their lives. Imagine a government comprised of such individuals, all pledged to uphold the common Charter. While corruption, pettiness, egotism and other human weaknesses can’t be eliminated, this will go a long way towards keeping them reined in.
A society designed to cultivate and elevate noble qualities while discouraging ignoble ones will never be perfect — but it could be far better than anything we have today.
