14.9.

2016 ARealCatholicMonarchy

ARealCatholicMonarchy
distributistreview.com/arealcatholicmonarchy/

1.12.2010

RealCatholics

Ashortwhileago,aMr.MichaelVoris,whocallshimselfTheRealCatholic,calledforAmericatochangeits
systemofgovernmentfromademocracytoabenevolentCatholicdictatorship,asystemMr.Voriscalleda
CatholicMonarchy.InMr.Vorissidealsystem,voting,totheextentitwouldbeallowedatall,wouldbe
confinedtoCatholics.Now,Iamalwaysalittleuncomfortablewithpeoplewhocallthemselvesthereal
anythingIcannotgetoverthefeelingthatwereItoventureacontraryopinion,Iwouldbeconsideredless
real,orinthiscaseperhapsoutrightheretical.Nevertheless,whileMr.VorismightbetherealCatholic,Idont
thinkheistherealmonarchistIthinkheistalkingaboutsomethingquitedifferent,somethingwhichDr.John
Raocallsregalism,whichisoftenconfusedwithmonarchy.

RealRegalism

RegalismwasadevelopmentofthelateMiddleAgesandearlymodernperiodthatsoughttocentralizeallpower
inthehandsoftheking.Allsocialandeconomicinstitutions,evenorespeciallytheChurch,werebrought
underroyalcontrol.Thiswasthebeginningofthemodernnationstate,inwhichallloyalties,andallpower,
weretransferredtothestateinthepersonofthekingfromthereitwasbutashortsteptoreplacetheall
powerfulkingwithanoligarchyorademocracy,ormoreusually,anoligarchydisguisedasademocracy.

Regalismwas,wemightsay,nondenominationalitwaspracticedbybothCatholicandProtestantmonarchs.
LongbeforetheReformation,thestatewasexpandingitspowerattheexpenseoftheChurch.Thetaxingofthe
clergy,theconsolidationofecclesialcourtsintocivilones,intrusionintotheeducationalsystem,thereplacement
oftheChurchscharitieswiththewelfarestate,androyalcontrolofclericalappointmentsweresomeofthesigns
oftheexpandingpowerofthestate.TheReformationmerelycontinuedthisprocess,sincesomanyofthe
reformersweremorethanwillingtoreplacethepopewiththeprincetoenforceaconfessionalconformity.The
Reformationdependedonlaypower,andgaveajustificationforthatpower,butthewayhadbeenpreparedby
Catholicmonarchs.AndwhiletheCatholickingsneversucceededinhavingthemselvesdeclaredheadofthe
Churchintheirrealms,theycameveryclose.Forexample,PopeJuliusIIIcouldwritetotheFrenchKingHenry
II,Youaremorethanpopeinyourkingdoms,andwhenRichelieuwasappointedCardinal,hesenthisletterof
thanksnottothepope,buttotheking,therealreligiouspowerinFrance.

NowherewasthisroyalcontrolmoredamagingtotheChurchsmissionthaninthecaseofthemissions.The
kingswritextendedtodistantlands,andthemissionsbecameanotherinstrumentofstatepowerinwhich
nationalismdominatedoversalvation.Missionaryactivitywassubordinatedtocommercialandpolitical
objectives,therebymakingtheworkoftheChurchseemlikeamereinstrumentofwhatwouldlaterbecalled
colonialism.Thenationalcontrolofthemissionscreatedtremendousjurisdictionalproblems,sothatthenew
believersdidntknowwhichauthoritytobelieve,asbishopsfromthehomecountryviedwithvicarsfromthe
Vatican.Andthenationalistmissionsimpededthedevelopmentofnativeclergy,sincethiscouldformasourceof
oppositiontoroyalcontrol.TremendousopportunitieswerelostinJapanandChina,losingnotonlybillionsof
soulsforChrist,butchangingthecourseofhistoryimaginehowdifferentthingswouldbetodayiftheseoriental
powershadbecomeCatholic.

Thisregalismwasavastdeparturefromthenormofmedievalmonarchies.Ratherthanaplenaryauthority,
subjugatingalltotheroyalwill,medievalkingstendedtohavealimitedauthorityasheadsofarichnetworkof
socialinstitutions,eachwiththeirowndomain,authority,anddignity.TherewasofcoursetheChurch,butalso
theguilds,thetowns,baronsgreatandsmall,universities,andassociationsofallsorts.Thekingswritmightrun
aslaw,buttherewasverylittlehecouldactuallywriteinhiswrit,giventhepluralityofpowersthatsurrounded
him.Peoplewereconsciousoftheirrightsandprivileges,andwillingtofightforthem,asRichardIIofEngland

http://distributistreview.com/arealcatholicmonarchy/ 1/4
14.9.2016 ARealCatholicMonarchy

discoveredwhenhetriedtoimposeapolltax(essentially,anincometax)onthepeople,andfoundthatwithina
fewweeksavastpeasantarmysweptthroughthekingdomtocapturebothLondonandtheking.Treacherygot
Richardoutofhisdifficulties,buthewasmadeveryawareofthelimitationstohispower.Infact,amodern
bureaucrat,inthenormalcourseofhisday,exercisesmorepowerthanamedievalkingthebureaucratcan,
withastrokeofapen,takeawayyourbusinessoryourchildren,therebymakingtyrannyasortofdailyroutine
thebureaucratswritdoesindeedrunaslaw,aslongastheproperformsarefilledout.

Idwellontheproblemsofregalismbecauseitisthisversionofmonarchywhichismostfamiliartothegeneral
public.WhateverthefaultsoftheAmericanFounders,thiswasthekindofmonarchythatjustifiedtherevolution.
Thesameprinciplethatwasappliedinthelastarticletodemocracyalsoappliestomonarchy.Thatis,athing
withoutproperlimitsbecomesitsownopposite,andbenevolencequicklybecomesatyrannywhichthreatens
bothcivilandreligiousorder.ButCatholicscanlooktoawidertraditiontomeditateonthesemattersweneed
notconfineourmeditationsonmonarchytoKingGeorgeIII,oreventoKingLouisXVI,Catholicashemayhave
been.

RealMonarchy

PreeminentamongoursourcesisSt.ThomasAquinas.InhislettertotheKingofCypress,heidentified
monarchyasboththebestandworstformofgovernmentbestwhenthekingactedforthecommongood,and
worstwhenhedidnot.Butofcourse,kingsandqueensarebutmenandwomeninregalrobes,andgreed
ragesintheirheartsnolessinthanintheheartsofthecommons,andakingnolessthanacommonerislikely
toberuledbyunrulypassions.Sojustasademocracyneedsamonarchiallimit,themonarchyneeds
aristocraticanddemocraticlimits.Astohowthisistobeaccomplished,St.Thomassays:

Accordingly,thebestformofgovernmentisinastateorkingdom,whereinoneisgiventhepower
topresideoverallwhileunderhimareothershavinggoverningpowers:andyetagovernmentof
thiskindissharedbyall,bothbecauseallareeligibletogovern,andbecausetherulesare
chosenbyall.Forthisisthebestformofpolity,beingpartlykingdom,sincethereisoneatthe
headofallpartlyaristocracy,insofarasanumberofpersonsaresettoauthoritypartly
democracy,i.e.,governmentbythepeople,insofarastherulerscanbechosenfromthepeople
andthepeoplehavetherighttochoosetheirleaders.1

Wecanask,Ifthepeoplehavetherighttochoosetheirleaders,whatisthepurposeofthemonarchy?St.
Thomasdefinesthisasgivingaunitytothepeopleinordertodirectalltothecommongood,whichisaunityof
peaceandaconcernforjustice.Peaceinthiscontextmeansmuchmorethanjusttheabsenceofwar.Rather,
itisaninternalharmonyinthekingdomthatdirectsalllevelstojustice,forEverythingisuncertainwhenthereis
adeparturefromjustice.2Politicstendstobedivisivebyitsverynatureevenwhenpeopleattempttoactforthe
commongood,theyalsotendtointerpretthatgoodaccordingtotheirownneedsanddesires.Someprinciplein
governmentneedstohavethepossibilityofinterpretingthecommongoodfromthestandpointofthewhole
society,agoodwhichencompassesall,fromthelowesttothehighest.

However,thetermcommongood,standingbyitself,tendstoberathervagueandneedssomedevelopment
beforeitcanbeuseful.TheCatholicChurchhasdevelopedtwofurtherprinciplesinguidingrulerstothe
commongood.Theseprinciplesarenotmereabstractions,nottheresultofisolatedphilosophersand
theologiansdictatingwhattheythinkisgoodforsociety.Rather,theyaretheresultoftheChurchsreflectionon
its2,000yearsofexperiencewithgovernmentsofallsorts.Theseprinciplesaresubsidiarityandsolidarity.

Subsidiarityisaprinciplewhichstandsthepoliticalhierarchyonitsheaditstatesthatthehigherlevelsof
governmentexistonlytoservethelowest.Ahigherlevelofauthoritycanbejustifiedonlybytheaid(subsidium)
itgivestothelowerlevel,andespeciallytothelowestunitofsociety,thefamily.Theroyalfamily,thefirstfamily
ofthekingdom,isinasensethelastfamily,andthetheking,whoisthegreatestofall,mustbecometheservant
ofall,inthesamewaythatthepopeistheservusservorumdei,theservantoftheservantsofGod.

http://distributistreview.com/arealcatholicmonarchy/ 2/4
14.9.2016 ARealCatholicMonarchy

Solidarityistheprinciplewhichrequiresthateveryactionofgovernmentmustbeevaluatedonthebasisofhowit
affectsthepoorestcitizens,andifitharmsthisgroup,itislikelynotajustactiontobeginwith.Itssignatureisa
preferentialoptionforthepoor,anditformsakindofacidtestforthecommongood.

NotethatThomasdoesnotgivespecificdutiesorauthoritiesforeachelementofgovernment.Andthatis
proper,becausetheactualdistributionofauthorityisnotsomethingderivedfromthenaturallaw.Rather,itisa
prudentialjudgmentthatchangesfromculturetoculture,andwithtimeandcircumstance.Forthecharacterof
peoplesandnationsvary,andtheneedsofthetimeschangewiththetimesthereforetheirparticularinstitutions
mustevolvefromtheirownexperiencesandneeds.Nevertheless,therearesomegeneralprinciplesthatwe
mightadvance,thoughtheymightbemodifiedtofitanyparticularpoliticaltradition.

Concerningtheking,heneedstohaverealauthority,anauthoritythatextendstotheexecutive,legislative,and
judicialfunctions.Ofcourse,heshouldnotbetheonlyauthorityintheseareas,norevennecessarilythe
ordinaryauthoritybutheshould,insomesense,betheultimateauthority.Thekingsgovernmentalsoneedsto
haveitsownrevenuestream,onefixedintheconstitutionandindependentofanylegislativebody.Akingwho
hastobeghisbreadfromthelegislatureisnoking,andwhoeverholdsthepowerofthepursewillsoonholdall
otherpowers.Thelegislaturemaybyitsownwillsupplementtheconstitutionalrevenues,perhapstopayfora
warorsomeotherextraordinaryexpense,andtheymaycontrolthefundstheylevy.Butforthebudgetingofthe
constitutionalrevenue,thekingshouldbeprimary,oreventhesole,authority.Otherauthoritiesmaycomment,
theymayevencensureaking,suchaswhenakingneglectsthedefenseoftherealmtobuildhimselfpalaces.
Butinthepracticalworld,controlofthebudgetiscontrolofeverythingelse.Thekingshouldalsoholdan
absolutevetooverboththelegislatureandthejudicialfunctions.Andfinally,thereneedstobeadifficultbut
peacefulmeansofremovingakingwithoutthis,kingsthemselvesbecomethecauseofrevolutions.

Themoredifficultquestionactuallyconcernsthearistocracy.BothAristotleandAquinasthoughtofaristocracyin
termsofvirtueandaccomplishmentratherthanintermsofbirthandwealth.Thelattertheyconsideredtobea
mereoligarchy.However,menoftenconfusewealthwithworth,andthisisespeciallytrueofthemenwithan
excessofwealthandanabsenceofworth.Inmyopinion,evenincaseswherethereisarequirementofwealth
orbirth,thereshouldstillbeaselectionprocesstochoosethebestofthewealthyorwellborn.Butwhateverthe
process,thefunctionofthearistocracyisvirtue.Iinterpretthistomeanthattheyshouldbeasourceofimpartial
commentaryandjudgmentonpoliticalaffairs.Inthenextinstallment,Iwilldealingreaterdetailwithsome
solutionstothearistocraticproblem.

Finally,thereisthedemocraticproblem.Democracyworksbestatthelocallevel,andanationaldemocracyis
almostacontradictioninitself,sincethestaggeringcostsofnationalcampaignsenforceanoligarchiccontrol.
Norcanthisproblembesolvedbysomesortofcampaignfinancereformorevenpublicfundingofelections,
unlesswearewillingtoforbidallpoliticalspeech,savethatfundedbythepublicpurse.Butthatwouldbeaform
oftyrannyinitself.Thebestwaytoreducethecostofelectionsistomakethedistrictssmall,whichwillkeepthe
costofcampaigningcheap,andhencelesssusceptibletooligarchiccontrol.Smalldistrictsimplylarge
legislatures,andthishastheadvantageofmakingthemslowandunwieldy,abletoagreeonlawsonlywhen
theyaremostnecessary.Butifonewantsasmallandmoreagilelegislature,thenperhapsitwouldbewiseto
chooseitbyindirectelections,withelectorschosenattheneighborhoodlevel,whothenmeetinanassemblyto
choosetheactuallegislators.Inanycase,deliberativeformsofdemocracy,suchasthecaucusorthetown
meeting,shouldbefavoredoverelectoralforms,suchassecretballot.Butwhateverthesizeandcompositionof
thelegislature,itshouldhaveclearlydefinedandlimitedpowers.

However,allofthesereflections,whetherrightorwrong,goodorbad,remainsterileifthereisnowaytorealize
themintheexistingpoliticalorder.Asinterestingastheymightbe,suchspeculationsareofgreatvalueonlyif
theycanbeledtoactionswhichareeffectiveinthegivenpoliticalorder.Evenaremnantwantstobeeffective,to
havesomeactualimpactintheworld.Politicalsystemsarisenotsolelyfrommeretheorizing,butfromactual
experience.Thetaskistoexaminethecurrentsituation,andseewhatcanbedone,inthistimeofcrisis,to
makethepoliticalsystemmoremonarchial,whichistosaymoretrulydemocratic.Thatwillbetheburdenofmy
nextessay.

http://distributistreview.com/arealcatholicmonarchy/ 3/4