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Missing Monarchy: What Americans Get Wrong About Monarchy, Democracy, Feudalism, And Liberty
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 19, 2024
I enjoyed reading “Missing Monarchy, Correcting Misconceptions About The Middle Ages, Medieval Kingship, Democracy, and Liberty.” When one is reading ancient history - and I’ve been a student of recent history (from about 1800) for over sixty years, the phrase, ‘how lucky we are,’ rolls off the tongue when we consider our comparative western luxury. But I guess that after reading this reminder of real history and the way our ancient ancestors lived, one begins to question the democratic authoritarianism that most of us now take for granted as part of our culture.
I am a Christian. Jeb presents an argument for Christianity and it's necessity in Western culture. I do not live in America and cannot comment on the implications of restoring monarchy, nevertheless I seriously question the suggestions raised in ‘Appendix A’ titled ‘Possibilities’, due to man’s sinful nature. (page 344 para 3 part quote - “The founders allowed man’s natural sinful impulses to rule while dismissing the idea of a purposeful Christian nation. They undermined the foundation for liberty by not placing the king of kings on the nation’s throne, thus ensuring eventual secular tyranny. I do not think everyone should have the liberty to do as they please. There is genuinely right and wrong; a realm should be based on this rather than personal beliefs and opinions.” (end quote)
I spent several weeks reading, re-reading and digesting it’s contents. This book contains many lessons about modern western societies and gives readers plenty to think about.
I received this book from LibraryThing for an honest review and I award it 4 stars.
I am a Christian. Jeb presents an argument for Christianity and it's necessity in Western culture. I do not live in America and cannot comment on the implications of restoring monarchy, nevertheless I seriously question the suggestions raised in ‘Appendix A’ titled ‘Possibilities’, due to man’s sinful nature. (page 344 para 3 part quote - “The founders allowed man’s natural sinful impulses to rule while dismissing the idea of a purposeful Christian nation. They undermined the foundation for liberty by not placing the king of kings on the nation’s throne, thus ensuring eventual secular tyranny. I do not think everyone should have the liberty to do as they please. There is genuinely right and wrong; a realm should be based on this rather than personal beliefs and opinions.” (end quote)
I spent several weeks reading, re-reading and digesting it’s contents. This book contains many lessons about modern western societies and gives readers plenty to think about.
I received this book from LibraryThing for an honest review and I award it 4 stars.
December 19, 2024
"Missing Monarchy" by Jeb Smith is a superb, revelatory work that boldly dismantles the romanticized illusions of so-called modern democracy and offers a deeply resonant argument for the restoration of divinely ordained kingship. I found Smith’s thesis brilliantly convincing and morally clarifying.
Smith dares to take on the sacred cow of our age: the idea that democracy, with its frenzied elections and faithless politicking, leads to freedom. Instead, he exposes how it fosters an insidious form of enslavement, subjecting the individual to the chaotic whims of mass opinion and endless ideological wrangling. In democracy’s leveling zeal, we lose the right to contract individually with those who would lead us, whether it be a lord, king, or city berger.
The author painstakingly illustrates how, in contrast to our contemporary servitude to temporal passions, the medieval feudal system—though frequently misunderstood—actually nurtured a deeply personal sort of freedom. Within the time-honored hierarchy under a king, each man, woman, and family enjoyed a known place in the social order and had amazing freedom to choose the laws and lords they would live under on an individual basis. Their security, dignity, and duties flowed from a sanctified arrangement in which ultimate power and responsibility rested not with a fickle populace.
"Missing Monarchy" stands as a resounding call for a re-examination of the past and a willingness to learn from its ordering principles. It is a powerful reminder that true freedom, dignity, and wholeness can be found not in the shifting sands of public opinion, but in the firm foundation of God-led monarchy. Smith’s work is essential reading for anyone who has suspected that today’s political status quo, far from liberating us, has instead shackled our souls.
Smith dares to take on the sacred cow of our age: the idea that democracy, with its frenzied elections and faithless politicking, leads to freedom. Instead, he exposes how it fosters an insidious form of enslavement, subjecting the individual to the chaotic whims of mass opinion and endless ideological wrangling. In democracy’s leveling zeal, we lose the right to contract individually with those who would lead us, whether it be a lord, king, or city berger.
The author painstakingly illustrates how, in contrast to our contemporary servitude to temporal passions, the medieval feudal system—though frequently misunderstood—actually nurtured a deeply personal sort of freedom. Within the time-honored hierarchy under a king, each man, woman, and family enjoyed a known place in the social order and had amazing freedom to choose the laws and lords they would live under on an individual basis. Their security, dignity, and duties flowed from a sanctified arrangement in which ultimate power and responsibility rested not with a fickle populace.
"Missing Monarchy" stands as a resounding call for a re-examination of the past and a willingness to learn from its ordering principles. It is a powerful reminder that true freedom, dignity, and wholeness can be found not in the shifting sands of public opinion, but in the firm foundation of God-led monarchy. Smith’s work is essential reading for anyone who has suspected that today’s political status quo, far from liberating us, has instead shackled our souls.
July 24, 2025
Have You Ever Missed Monarchy? You Should!
Jeb Smith’s Missing Monarchy is a bold and refreshingly unorthodox reexamination of how we view monarchy, democracy, and liberty. In this meticulously researched and daring work, Smith dismantles the widely held myths surrounding modern democracy and presents a provocative case for the overlooked strengths of medieval monarchies.
Far from the caricatures of tyranny and absolutism, Smith shows how historical monarchies often fostered decentralized power, legal continuity, and strong local autonomy—features that modern democracies frequently lack. With clarity and scholarly depth, he challenges the assumption that democracy is inherently freer or more just, suggesting instead that the Middle Ages may have offered a more stable and liberty-respecting political order.
What makes Missing Monarchy stand out is not just its thesis, but the precision—and, dare one say, passion—with which it’s argued. Best of all, Smith’s critique of our modern system is always grounded in deep historical insight and supported by an abundance of evidence. Even if one remains committed to the ideals of 1789, Smith's arguments will deepen one's understanding of political history—and invite reflection on the strengths and assumptions of the system the modern West holds dear.
Missing Monarchy is a brilliant and genuinely eye-opening read. Not a monarchist yet? Read Smith’s book. He just might change your mind.
Jeb Smith’s Missing Monarchy is a bold and refreshingly unorthodox reexamination of how we view monarchy, democracy, and liberty. In this meticulously researched and daring work, Smith dismantles the widely held myths surrounding modern democracy and presents a provocative case for the overlooked strengths of medieval monarchies.
Far from the caricatures of tyranny and absolutism, Smith shows how historical monarchies often fostered decentralized power, legal continuity, and strong local autonomy—features that modern democracies frequently lack. With clarity and scholarly depth, he challenges the assumption that democracy is inherently freer or more just, suggesting instead that the Middle Ages may have offered a more stable and liberty-respecting political order.
What makes Missing Monarchy stand out is not just its thesis, but the precision—and, dare one say, passion—with which it’s argued. Best of all, Smith’s critique of our modern system is always grounded in deep historical insight and supported by an abundance of evidence. Even if one remains committed to the ideals of 1789, Smith's arguments will deepen one's understanding of political history—and invite reflection on the strengths and assumptions of the system the modern West holds dear.
Missing Monarchy is a brilliant and genuinely eye-opening read. Not a monarchist yet? Read Smith’s book. He just might change your mind.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews