LETTER : Can't live with them, can't live without them

ANYONE who thinks that it would not make much difference or even make Britain more democratic if we became a republic would be advised to examine the track records of 20th-century republics. These are at best mostly undistinguished, at worst catastrophic. Contrast the mature policies of the Kingdom of Jordan with the lunatic policies of Iraq. The fact that the chief job in the state is up for grabs tends to attract an unbalanced personality. In a monarchy the power struggles take place at a lower level and so do not get out of hand.

I agree that it is easier to support republicanism than to make the intellectual effort necessary to understand the complex philosophy and psychology of kingship, but such a study is very rewarding. Rather than abolish our monarchy we should encourage fledgling democracies to examine why our system works so well.

Pamela Davis

London W13