ABSTRACT
At the antipodes of the monarchical principle, in theory, stands democracy, denying the right of one over others. The life of political parties, whether these are concerned chiefly with national or with local politics, necessarily exhibit an even stronger tendency towards democracy than that which is manifested by the state. Democracy must be eliminated by the democratic way of the popular will. The democratic method is the sole one practicable by which an old aristocracy can attain to a renewed dominion. The aristocracy maintains itself in power by other means than parliamentary; at any rate in most of the monarchies it does not need a parliamentary majority in order to be able to hold the reins by which is guided the political life of the state. The inward dislike of liberalism for the masses is also apparent in the attitude of the liberal leaders to the principles and institutions of aristocracy.
