Anarchy vs. Monarchy
What is Difference between Anarchy and Monarchy? The tendency of human beings to live in groups is that the foundation of a society in which people interact with one another rests. Now, despite all the time that has elapsed since we began to form more complex and structured societies, there is still no definitive agreement as to how they should be governed.
The issue of who has power and how authority must be handled has been a central issue in the lives of many since antiquity. In this sense, both monarchy and anarchy are completely different systems as to the way in which they conceive that the control of the citizens must be maintained; and it is because they are so different that in this case we have decided to explain what makes the difference between the two.
Difference between Anarchy and Monarchy
If you do not know the difference between monarchy and anarchy or you are just looking for a little more information to complement what you already know, then read on, because then we explain everything you need to know about this interesting topic.
Anarchy
This word derives from the Greek word anarkhia, which in turn derives from anarkhos (an = sin + arkhos = ruler). Etymology clearly involves the definition of this word. The concept of anarchy refers to a state in which people are not subject to any authority.
Anarchy is a term that is used in various contexts, and has often appeared in chapters of human history. Some anthropologists believe that even in those times of which no historical records are preserved, there existed human societies that were not controlled by established authorities.
The Taoism of Ancient China can be considered as the first clear expression of anarchy. Taoists were living in a feudal society where laws were codified. By then the government became a centralized system. The Taoists rejected this form of government and favored the concept of living in natural and spontaneous harmony, free from kings and rulers.
The Greek philosophers Plato and Aristotle used the term anarchy in a negative way, since they affirmed that democracy leads to anarchy and anarchy should be considered as law of the street. Nowadays, depending on the context, anarchy is a word that can have a positive or negative connotation.
Monarchy
On the other hand, monarchy refers to a form of government in which a monarch is at the head and directs all his subjects. The word derives from the Greek word “monarkhia”, which means government of one.
In a monarchical system, the monarch is treated like head of the state and stays in this position until the day of its death. Then it is the descendants of the monarch who take the command, since this system follows the principle of the inheritance. Finally, today few monarchies remain and those that remain are usually limited or constitutional monarchies, in which the power of the monarchs is regulated.
