"Throughout most of history, governments -- usually monarchies headed by kings, emperors, pharaohs and other major or minor tyrants -- actually owned everything under their rule, including, believe it or not, the people. In those regimes the population was considered to be subjects, not citizens. That means that the people were treated as the underlings, subjected to the will of the ruler."

Tibor Machan; The Orange Grove; The Orange County Register (California); Apr 15, 1999

People are more likely to be “treated as underlings, subjected to the will of the ruler” under democracy than monarchy. Tibor Machan may want to consult fellow libertarian Hans-Hermann Hoppe’s ground-breaking Democracy: the God that Failed if he disputes it.

Citizens under a democracy identify with their leaders. “We are the government!” they tell themselves. The mantra frees the heavy hand of State, which never needs much prodding.

Compared to their democratic counterparts, medieval monarchs faced stauncher resistance when pushing tax increases and wars of choice. The reputedly benighted masses knew the king’s interests were not their own. As Goethe once noted, “None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free.”