AH Challenge: Republican Britain

With no POD before 1914, how can Britain become a Republic, formally removing the monarchy from the country? It can be as bloody or as peaceful as you like, and it does not have to be permanent.
 

Thande

Donor
No POD before 1914? Almost ASB. All I can think of is defeat in WW2 (watch out for the S-word!) and even then, the stereotype is that the Nazis bring back Edward VIII.

I suppose the annus horribilis could have been even worse, but I thought that was overblown even at the time. Though some people started getting resentful about paying for the royals, all of them, I don't think many people ever lost respect for Her Majesty, even at the height of the Spencer business in 1997.
 
Well stop any and all reform by the House of Lords after WWI, have even worse trouble in Ireland you could ahve some in government pushing for more powe rin the hands of the people. Of course a big Empire, economy going strong kinda screws up ones views on war.
 

Thande

Donor
Well stop any and all reform by the House of Lords after WWI,
What does that have to do with the monarchy?

have even worse trouble in Ireland
What does that have to do with the monarchy?!

you could ahve some in government pushing for more powe rin the hands of the people. Of course a big Empire, economy going strong kinda screws up ones views on war.
And what does that have to do with the monarchy?!!

Look, after September 11th (for instance), did people in the USA advocate the abolition of the US constitution? Er, no. :rolleyes:

The only one of those that might make a vague amount of sense is the HoL ones - given that one of the threats made by the Government was to ask the monarch to create a load of new peers who would speed reform legislation through the HoL, which caused the HoL to back down to Lord George, one could just about conceive that a British monarch might refuse the PM's demand and become unpopular. But they'd have to be pretty stupid to do that when it was obvious that the public supported Lloyd George...
 
What does that have to do with the monarchy?


What does that have to do with the monarchy?!


And what does that have to do with the monarchy?!!

Look, after September 11th (for instance), did people in the USA advocate the abolition of the US constitution? Er, no. :rolleyes:

The only one of those that might make a vague amount of sense is the HoL ones - given that one of the threats made by the Government was to ask the monarch to create a load of new peers who would speed reform legislation through the HoL, which caused the HoL to back down to Lord George, one could just about conceive that a British monarch might refuse the PM's demand and become unpopular. But they'd have to be pretty stupid to do that when it was obvious that the public supported Lloyd George...

if the government system looks to be failing, then people look for other ways to improve it. That expalins Nazi's taking power through elections, the Founding Fathers creating the united States. the issue is creating sometihng to such an extent that people see a need to change the entire system. After WWI is the best time for monarchy is not in fashion and a Republic is.

9/11 is not a good example, because it was a single act, on a single day. Yes it changed much, but in truth millions of Americans were able to not see any aspect of their economy, living standards, or jobs effected at the moment. Even today after all the problems people see a way to change things given the govenrment system, it creates hope that change can occur.

Even though the power of monarchs in England was lowering by the end of WWI if enough actions are seen to be caused by a monarch trying to retain power (which a guerilla war in ireland, and not passing reforms for better wages, and changes to the system can be viewed as) then people will react accordingly. True parliament holds most power in law making and the army, but it is foolish to think the the UK is not a monarchy at its heart and soul. Something goes wrong in 1919? You blame the King.
 

Thande

Donor
Something goes wrong in 1919? You blame the King.

Lots of things did go wrong in 1919 (e.g. the Anglo-Irish War) and no-one, except nutters, blamed the King. In fact, 1918 saw the first time a Labour government was elected, half the establishment was terrified that they would try and take action against the monarchy and the HoL, and in reality MacDonald and his crew of course left everything the way it was, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

When things are going badly, you eject the current government and elect a better one, you don't kill the system of checks and balances so a dictator can get in.

Actually, now I remember it, there was one attempt to overthrow the Windsors in the 1920s. Some nutter in Manchester who said that they were Germans (accurately), therefore traitors, and he should be king because he was an illegitimate descendant of Henry VIII. Basically Britain's version of Emperor Norton. But I think it's apt that even he saw it in terms of replacing one monarchy with another. By the 1910s and 20s, republicans in Britain were marginalised and equated with Communists.
 
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