The American Dream: A Nation's Hidden Love for Monarchy

Throughout history, monarchism in the United States has been met with mixed reactions. While many Americans were staunchly anti-monarchist following the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, there has always been a small, but persistent, fascination with the concept of monarchy. From political attacks on U.S. Presidents as aspiring monarchs to the enduring interest in British royalty, this curiosity has remained. Accusations of aspiring to create a monarchy were leveled against John Adams and the Federalists, while Andrew Jackson faced the infamous political cartoon depicting him as "King Andrew the First." Even Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt faced charges of assuming "royal powers" during their presidencies. And these are common to other presidents as well. For example Allusions to George W. Bush as “George II” in editorial cartoons and as thinking of himself as “King of the United States” Visits of British royalty to the United States have always generated tremendous excitement and enthusiasm, highlighting a degree of nostalgia and sympathy for the institution. The irony of the American system is the imperial nature of the presidency. The President is both head of government and head of state, roles that are typically separate in most European countries. Advocates of monarchy argue that kings were often more restrained than people believe, with their actions limited by a complex web of relations and advisors.