Roz seemed to be accepting the hereditary principle as such, JG, but didn't seem to me to be accepting some of the consequences. If you want to argue for an elected head of state, fair enough. In my more optimistic moods, when I dream that liberty, equality and fraternity might be achievable political goals, I sometimes think myself that we would be better off making a peaceful transition to a republic. But then I sink into gloom again when I think about how deeply engrained the class system is into our national culture, and conclude that, like the French in 1789 and the Russians in 1917, we could have a republic only if we had a revolution - not just political, but economic and cultural as well. I'm not sure I want a revolution - the risks of collateral damage are, in terms of death, destruction and misery, are probably too high.