News Should Great Britain abolish its monarchy?

[Shay10825]

Should the monarchy in Great Britain be abolished?

1. Yes
2. No

We were talking about this in my government class and I wanted to know what other people thought.

 

[hypatia]

I don't see the harm in keeping a figure-head. Its such a part of the history of Great Britain.

 

[Icebreaker]

Waste of money and energy. Get rid of her.

 

[Andromeda321]

Can a "don't care at all" option be added perchance? Because I mean it doesn't really matter to me what happens from this side of the pond, we already decided we don't like British monarchs 200+ years ago.

 

[hitssquad]

Should the monarchy in Great Britain be abolished?

Great Britain is an island. Perhaps you meant Britain or the United Kingdom.

 

[fourier jr]

i assume the poll is about the united kingdom of great britain & northern ireland



anyway, whether GBR gets rid of the queen/king, nothing much will change. the structure of the government wouldn't change, and a president would likely cost just the same. the only difference would be that heredity wouldn't decide who becomes head of state.

 

[Smurf]

Get rid of the monarchy, it's been degraded to celebrity status, what with the paparazzi running all over him, I mean could you see the attention what's his face got when he wore the nazi costume to a party. How low has our society sunk that that gets more coverage than the ukranian elections.

 

[PerennialII]

Ditch it ... a thing of the past and not in any good sense.

 

[Astronuc]

I was wondering about the British Monarchy while listening to 'God Save the King' in the movie "The Bridge on the River Kwai". I was thinking that it should be about the people and country, not an individual who is given an arbitrary status with some artificial superiority. The King or Queen of England is not England, the People are England.

I grew up singing "God Save the Queen" as a child in school, until I moved to the US. As an adult, I would not wish to sing such an anthem.

Royalty should be dismantled - it has no place in a just and equitable society. Other European nations such as Germany and France have removed their royalties.

 

[selfAdjoint]

I voted no. It provides endless innocent fun for us in the US. And as for the cost, in the nineteenth century, Queen Victoria owned London, by inheritance from her ancestor, William the Conquerer. Disraeli tricked her into exchanging that for an allowance.

 

[BobG]

I voted yes, since there were only two choices.

It's a pretty trivial matter as to whether the monarchy is abolished for the UK. In the US, the Royal Family seems to be something to fill the gossip magazines.

Abolishing the monarchy would probably have a greater impact on the British Channel Islands than the UK. Not only is Elizabeth queen of the United Kingdom, she's also the Duchess of Normandy. The islands aren't part of the Britain and exist as territories of the Royal Family. The islands belonged to William the Conqueror along with Normandy. Normandy wound up joining the rest of France, but the Queen is still recognized as the official leader of each of the separate islands, even if they rarely meddle in local affairs (each island generally tends to its own affairs separately from the other islands).

 

[brewnog]

For fegg's sake, can people PLEASE learn the difference between England, Great Britain, and the UK!

Much as I hate everything the Royal Family stands for, as long as the Royal Family generate more revenue from American tourism than they consume from the public, it's a good thing to keep.

 

[wasteofo2]

I don't think England, or Great Britain, or The United Kingdom, or regular old Britain, or anythink else you brits might want to call your land, should get rid of the concept of their Monarchy alltogether; I just think it's about time that the family who holds the throne to be changed.

Perhaps, since they no longer have too much political clout in America, and they're from Ireland (which is close enough), the Kennedy family should stage a coup and become the new royal family of Great Britain.

I wonder, if a coup was attempted, would the British public rise up and defend their royalty, would they help the coup, would they just watch the tele and laugh about it?

And brewnog, can you explain the difference between Britain, Great Britain, The United Kingdom, and England, for us petty Americans?

 

[hitssquad]

can you explain the difference between Britain, Great Britain, The United Kingdom, and England, for us petty Americans?

• People often confuse the names for this country, and frequently make mistakes in using them. United Kingdom, UK, and Britain are all proper terms for the entire nation, although the term Britain is also often used when talking about the island of Great Britain. The use of the term Great Britain to refer to the entire nation is now outdated; the term Great Britain, properly used, refers only to the island of Great Britain, which does not include Northern Ireland. The term England should never be used to describe Britain, because England is only one part of the island. It is always correct to call people from England, Scotland, or Wales British, although people from England may also properly be called English, people from Scotland Scottish, and people from Wales Welsh.
  
  Microsoft® Encarta® Encyclopedia 2002. © 1993-2001 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Here is a map showing England, Scotland, and Wales:
http://www.drc-gb.org/open4all/service/open4all_presentation/Image4.jpg

 

[brewnog]

For all you petty Americans (or should that be United States of Americans?)

Good work hitssquad.

In order of size:

British Isles: Used colloquially, not a political term. Includes England, Scotland, Wales, ALL of Ireland, as well as the other pissy little islands (Orkneys, Shetlands, Angelsey, Channel Islands etc)

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Island: The proper, political name for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland along with pissy islands.

Great Britain: Just the big, main island, comprising of England, Scotland & Wales, not a political term. By this definition, the Irish could take exception to being called British.

England, Scotland and Wales. Wales is a principality. There are also Crown Dependencies and British Overseas Territories, but nobody wants to know about those, and nobody really knows where they all are anyway.

I've had an irritated thing about this ever since I saw Mrs Doubtfire, where she told the little kids that England was an island. Dumb wench!

Wasteofo2: I reckon if you guys staged some kind of monster coup, we really would just sit back and watch the fireworks, so long as you didn't try and mess with the actual governing of our country. Bring it on!

 

[wasteofo2]

For all you petty Americans (or should that be United States of Americans?)

We're Americans, it's that simple. We live in States, and collectively, we form The United States of America, and thus as a group, we're Americans.

Good work hitssquad.

In order of size:

British Isles: Used colloquially, not a political term. Includes England, Scotland, Wales, ALL of Ireland, as well as the other pissy little islands (Orkneys, Shetlands, Angelsey, Channel Islands etc)

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Island: The proper, political name for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland along with pissy islands.

Great Britain: Just the big, main island, comprising of England, Scotland & Wales, not a political term. By this definition, the Irish could take exception to being called British.

England, Scotland and Wales. Wales is a principality. There are also Crown Dependencies and British Overseas Territories, but nobody wants to know about those, and nobody really knows where they all are anyway.

I've had an irritated thing about this ever since I saw Mrs Doubtfire, where she told the little kids that England was an island. Dumb wench!

Wasteofo2: I reckon if you guys staged some kind of monster coup, we really would just sit back and watch the fireworks, so long as you didn't try and mess with the actual governing of our country. Bring it on!

Why do you all insist on having so many damned names?

Why can't it all be The United Kingdom, and then just everything else just be called England, Ireland, Scotland, Whales, and whatever else. Why do you need all these semi-communal semi-exclusive terms?

I think if Americans stage a coup of the british crown, that would be our first matter of business, making the naming system just like the USA's. Then we'd abolish the roundabout system and liberate Canada.

 

[hitssquad]

The avoirdupois pound of flesh, dearly bought

Why can't it all be The United Kingdom

One problem there would be that the nation of Ireland (which geographically encompasses the island of Ireland plus a few other tiny islands and minus the geographically one-sixth of the island of Ireland claimed politically by the UK as Northern Ireland) wants to remain a nation separate from that of the UK.

Why do you need all these semi-communal semi-exclusive terms?

Perhaps for the same reason that they thought 12 inches to a foot and 16 avoirdupois ounces or 7000 grains or 0.45359237 kilograms to a pound would be good ideas.

 

[BobG]

We're Americans, it's that simple. We live in States, and collectively, we form The United States of America, and thus as a group, we're Americans.

I think if Americans stage a coup of the british crown, that would be our first matter of business, making the naming system just like the USA's. Then we'd abolish the roundabout system and liberate Canada.

Technically, Canadians and Argentinians are American, too.

While it's somewhat outdated, the concept of the US is that I'm a Coloradan, while someone from Virginia is a Virginian, someone from Indiana is a ... uh ... Hoosier?, someone from Connecticut is a ... ... .

Each state kept it's individual identity, hence the debate over state's rights vs. the federal government.

 

[mattmns]

Yeah I do not really like being called an American. Because as BobG said, Canadians, Mexicans, everybody on this side is an American. However, what are you going to call us? United Statesians?

 

[brewnog]

One problem there would be that the nation of Ireland (which geographically encompasses the island of Ireland plus a few other tiny islands and minus the geographically one-sixth of the island of Ireland claimed politically by the UK as Northern Ireland) wants to remain a nation separate from that of the UK.

Absolutely, where have you been for the past 20 years, Wasteofo2?

Perhaps for the same reason that they thought 12 inches to a foot and 16 avoirdupois ounces or 7000 grains or 0.45359237 kilograms to a pound would be good ideas.

Hey, for all scientific and engineering purposes, we're metric now. The Americans are the ones who insist on using pounds and feet, they just call them 'British Units' so that they're not the ones who look stupid

 

[brewnog]

However, what are you going to call us? United Statesians?

Nope, "Tax-Dodgers".

 

[wasteofo2]

Absolutely, where have you been for the past 20 years, Wasteofo2?

I've only been alive for the past 16 years, and geopolitics didn't really become interesting to me until relatively recently, gimme a bit of a break.

 

[mattmns]

Nope, "Tax-Dodgers".

No taxation without representation

 

[brewnog]

Ok wasteofo2, you can have a break. Ignorance of something is fine, but before you slate it, at least know what you're slating.

Anyway, literally speaking, calling yourselves Americans is the parallel of us calling ourselves Europeans, as opposed to Britons.

Is there a more emphatically correct name for people from the US, which excludes Peruvians, Columbians and Canadians?

 

[wasteofo2]

Ok wasteofo2, you can have a break. Ignorance of something is fine, but before you slate it, at least know what you're slating.

Well I was more joking than anything really, didn't think ya'll took your names so seriously.

Anyway, literally speaking, calling yourselves Americans is the parallel of us calling ourselves Europeans, as opposed to Britons.

Is there a more emphatically correct name for people from the US, which excludes Peruvians, Columbians and Canadians?

You might as well just call us Yanks if it's so confusing for you.

 

[brewnog]

Well I was more joking than anything really, didn't think ya'll took your names so seriously.

Well I don't mind too much, but if you met an Irish Republican on a bad day and called him a Brit then he might well put a car bomb outside your house. Really.

You might as well just call us Yanks if it's so confusing for you.

It's not confusing at all, though you don't seem to get my point. I'm happy to call you yanks...

 

[wasteofo2]

It's not confusing at all, though you don't seem to get my point. I'm happy to call you yanks...

We really don't have such strong opinions about our collective names, since we all just consider ourselves Americans, and don't really bother to think what people form other countries should call us. If you're talking to someone from the USA, just call them American, it's what we like. Some people (whom are still bitter over the revolutionary war) might think it weird that you call us yanks, and annoying, but no one would really be offended (I don't think).

 

[motai]

Is there a more emphatically correct name for people from the US, which excludes Peruvians, Columbians and Canadians?

You could just be technically accurate and specify United States Citizens as 'United Statesians' . Not like it exactly matters because the term "American" refers to the old cartographer Amerigo Vespucci, so the entire thing is more or less an accident.

 

[brewnog]

Yeah I do not really like being called an American.

we all just consider ourselves Americans

See what I mean?

 

[wasteofo2]

I've actually never ran across anyone who didn't want to be called an American - unless they were ashamed of America's political actions, but never because they thought there was some better way to adress people that live in the USA. Matt seems to be a total anomoly...

 

[hitssquad]

Who is an American

Technically, Canadians and Argentinians are American, too.

America is not a continent, though it is an isolated landmass comprising two continents. Canadians are North Americans; Argentinians are South Americans or Latin Americans; and neither (usually) are Americans.

--
american

1 : an Indian of No. America or So. America
2 : a native or inhabitant of No. America or So. America — usually used with a qualifying adjective <Latin Americans> <North Americans> of all except inhabitants of the United States
3 : a citizen of the United States
--
(M-W Unabridged 3.0)

 

[hitssquad]

the term "American" refers to the old cartographer Amerigo Vespucci

Amerigo Vespucci was a navigator. The cartographer who named America after him was Martin Waldseemüller.

 

[misskitty]

I voted no. Partly because the British Monarchy dates back so far that it is a huge part of their living history. I do, however, tend to agree with Waste because the current family is actually of German descent. The original house wasn't what it is today. It was actually the House of Hanover. Which is in Germany. It was changed in the second world war because the Monarchy didn't think it was a great idea to have the name of the Royal family be the same as the people they were fighting across the English Channel.

I don't think it was so much France and Germany and other countries "got rid of" their Royal families so much as they just died out.

It might be better economically for the Royal family to stay put, mainly for tourism reasons. I think a cou might be an interesting spin on things. How would that be underway. It can't be in the traditional means of a political cou. Mainly because you can't go out and murder the king or queen now and not be charged and tried for murder. I would be interested in how that would work. Good question Waste.

 

[misskitty]

I've actually never ran across anyone who didn't want to be called an American - unless they were ashamed of America's political actions, but never because they thought there was some better way to adress people that live in the USA. Matt seems to be a total anomoly...

I think this is rather amusing. You live in New York and have never met anyone who didn't want to be called an American. I live in the boonies of New Hampshire, which is a beautiful state I might add, and have met a someone who doesn't like to be called an American.

Here's what really gets me, he was born here, as were several previous generations of his family. He actually cringes when you call him an American and he does not stand or say the Pledge of Alligence. I don't have an issue with that, because its his choice and that's fine. As for me that's not my thing. He is so ashamed of America's actions and behavior in modern society that he dislikes being called an American. As soon as he turn 18 he says he is moving to Japan, who, in his opinion, is much more morally sound and stable and not hypocritical like America.

He pretty much has this good riddens to all of you lousy people persona when it comes to this. Whats even funnier is that you would never know it in a regular conversation with him because he doesn't really talk about it. He evades political discussions, even when they are required in class. He's got a pretty interesting view on how badly America has screwed up in the World Theatre.

 

[wasteofo2]

I think this is rather amusing. You live in New York and have never met anyone who didn't want to be called an American. I live in the boonies of New Hampshire, which is a beautiful state I might add, and have met a someone who doesn't like to be called an American.

Here's what really gets me, he was born here, as were several previous generations of his family. He actually cringes when you call him an American and he does not stand or say the Pledge of Alligence. I don't have an issue with that, because its his choice and that's fine. As for me that's not my thing. He is so ashamed of America's actions and behavior in modern society that he dislikes being called an American. As soon as he turn 18 he says he is moving to Japan, who, in his opinion, is much more morally sound and stable and not hypocritical like America.

He pretty much has this good riddens to all of you lousy people persona when it comes to this. Whats even funnier is that you would never know it in a regular conversation with him because he doesn't really talk about it. He evades political discussions, even when they are required in class. He's got a pretty interesting view on how badly America has screwed up in the World Theatre.

Well I said that the only people I've met who didn't want to be called American were people who were ashamed of American society/government, not people who thought there was some better word to call them, so your friend fits in with my statement I guess.

 

[misskitty]

Indeed he does. It doesn't really jive so well with the rest of the student body, who hapens to be patriotic republicans.

 

[Shadow]

I think you do look like lindsay lohan. Wear something skanky and you are her. Do you know how many guys'd be checkin you? word.

I agree.

I've only been alive for the past 16 years, and geopolitics didn't really become interesting to me until relatively recently, gimme a bit of a break.

...you fight hard sometimes but when it is clear you have lost...you use your age?

 

[misskitty]

Age can be a valid excuse for losing and argument

 

[stoned]

British can keep them parasites(royalty), but why Canada or Australia still recognize Queen as their head of state is beyond me.

 

[brewnog]

British can keep them parasites(royalty), but why Canada or Australia still recognize Queen as their head of state is beyond me.

It's a good point. At least we make millions of pounds every year from Americans coming to look at Buckingham Palace. What benefits do citizens of Her Majesty's other states get from her?

 

[stoned]

What benefits do citizens of Her Majesty's other states get from her?

I think Canada prides itself of having Foreigner as a head of state,this way Canadians pretend to be different, more civilized than their American cousins.

 

[Telos]

While it's somewhat outdated, the concept of the US is that I'm a Coloradan, while someone from Virginia is a Virginian, someone from Indiana is a ... uh ... Hoosier?, someone from Connecticut is a ... ... .

lol, that was great. Your post motivated me to look up the list (I guess they're called "demonyms") and cast away the mystery that has plagued us all for so long.

The most comprehensive one I found is at the following link, along with demonyms for cities and other nations of the world.

http://everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1450700

The funniest one is "M*******," which is slang for someone from Massachusetts. It's not necessarily pejorative! [Edit: but the forum filter definitely thinks it is.]


And I want the UK's monarchy abolished if only for the simple joy of not having be exposed to it as the subject of tabloid news.

Oh yeah, and everyone from the UK is British. That's where the confusion about referring to the UK as Britain comes from.

 

[misskitty]

You would have thought that Canada would have seceeded (sp?) by now having its own government and all.

 

[selfAdjoint]

If you ask two Canadians whether the Queen is queen of Canada, really, you will get three different answers.

 

[misskitty]

Three? What are they? I don't have any Canadians on hand to ask.

 

[Telos]

Oh yeah, and it doesn't help that the UK lacks its own soccer team.

When we see "England" play "Germany" we think it's between two countries, and presume that you don't mind all being called "English." ;)

 

[brewnog]

Oh yeah, and it doesn't help that the UK lacks its own soccer team.

Soccer? Oh, you mean football!

When we see "England" play "Germany" we think it's between two countries, and presume that you don't mind all being called "English." ;)

A match between England and Germany is between two countries. Are you winding me up?

The people from England wouldn't mind being called English, but the people from Germany would probably prefer to be called German.

 

[Telos]

A match between England and Germany is between two countries.

So the UK isn't a country?

Oh wait... the UK is a "country of countries." Well, pardon me for being confused by that one!

 

[brewnog]

So the UK isn't a country?

Oh wait... the UK is a "country of countries." Well, pardon me for being confused by that one!

I just didn't understand why you were bringing Germany into it!

 

[Telos]

I just didn't understand why you were bringing Germany into it!

It was a poor example, or at least I wrote it very poorly. I apologize.

I did some more reading on the matter. I honestly didn't realize that England, Scotland, and Wales were also considered countries. I guess I have the lingering US mindset of e pluribus unum, that only one country makes a nation, and forgot that your nation was united under different circumstances.