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Republican Dynasties:
A Growing Trend
Man's
general dissatisfaction with human rulership along with his eternal quest for the
perfect system of government has led to a new phenomenon on the world stage-what
can be called republican dynasties.
These are not to be confused with the hereditary monarchies that sound almost medieval to our ears. Most countries are republics, in stark contrast to a century ago when most were monarchies.
However, just because a country is a republic doesn't mean it is a democracy. A great number are dictatorships, not democracies. Many have settled down to following a long-term dictator after decades of instability. Fearful of what might happen after the strongman dies and seeking to avoid possible anarchy, what better solution than to let power pass to the son?
Syria is the latest nation to opt for this solution. When President Hafez al-Assad died earlier this year his nominated successor was his son, Bashar al-Assad. The Syrian constitution, which specified that the president must be at least age 40 to hold that office, was immediately changed to allow the 34-year-old to ascend to power. The result was a foregone conclusion; his father had made it clear that his son should succeed him.
Before the change in Syria, North Korea saw the beginnings of a republican dynasty. Even a communist dynasty such as North Korea still rigidly follows in the path of Joseph Stalin.
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