Monarchy is widely dismissed as a relic of the past in today’s political debates—yet global data tells a surprising story. Countries with this system often lead in economic prosperity and happiness, while it’s virtually absent in struggling, unstable nations. Monarchy isn’t perfect, but it merits serious consideration rather than reflexive rejection.
The Data Speaks
We explore two key metrics: economic development (via the World Bank’s 2023 per capita GDP, PPP-adjusted in 2021 international dollars) and happiness (from the World Happiness Report 2024, averaged over 2021-2023 on a 0-10 scale). By factoring in the presence of monarchy, we rank the top and bottom 20 nations in both categories. Here’s what emerges:
Table 1: Top 20 Wealthiest Nations (by Per Capita GDP)
| Rank | Country | Per Capita GDP (PPP, 2021 Int’l $) | Happiness Index (2024) | Monarchy? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Luxembourg | 131,590 | 7.12 | Yes |
| 2 | Singapore | 116,487 | 6.52 | No |
| 3 | Ireland | 113,719 | 6.84 | No |
| 4 | Qatar | 100,138 | 6.44 | Yes |
| 5 | Switzerland | 82,865 | 7.24 | No |
| 6 | Norway | 87,858 | 7.30 | Yes |
| 7 | United Arab Emirates | 74,245 | 6.56 | Yes |
| 8 | United States | 69,288 | 6.72 | No |
| 9 | Denmark | 63,316 | 7.58 | Yes |
| 10 | Netherlands | 62,824 | 7.32 | Yes |
| 11 | Iceland | 60,963 | 7.53 | No |
| 12 | Austria | 60,901 | 7.10 | No |
| 13 | Sweden | 58,144 | 7.40 | Yes |
| 14 | Australia | 57,779 | 7.06 | Yes |
| 15 | Germany | 56,998 | 6.95 | No |
| 16 | Canada | 54,829 | 6.90 | Yes |
| 17 | Finland | 53,495 | 7.74 | No |
| 18 | Belgium | 53,589 | 6.59 | Yes |
| 19 | Saudi Arabia | 50,539 | 6.31 | Yes |
| 20 | United Kingdom | 50,229 | 6.78 | Yes |
Monarchy Share: 60%
Average: Per Capita GDP ≈ 72,000 USD (sum of 20 ÷ 20, rounded), Happiness Index ≈ 6.95 (sum of 20 ÷ 20, 2 decimals)[1][2]
Table 2: Bottom 20 Wealthiest Nations (by Per Capita GDP)
| Rank | Country | Per Capita GDP (PPP, 2021 Int’l $) | Happiness Index (2024) | Monarchy? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burundi | 830 | 3.51 | No |
| 2 | South Sudan | 1,071 | 2.85 | No |
| 3 | Central African Republic | 1,107 | 3.48 | No |
| 4 | Malawi | 1,628 | 3.42 | No |
| 5 | Somalia | 1,897 | 4.58 | No |
| 6 | Afghanistan | 2,069 | 1.72 | No |
| 7 | Madagascar | 1,647 | 4.02 | No |
| 8 | Mozambique | 1,428 | 4.71 | No |
| 9 | Sierra Leone | 1,951 | 3.19 | No |
| 10 | DR Congo | 2,401 | 3.29 | No |
| 11 | Niger | 1,465 | 4.50 | No |
| 12 | Zimbabwe | 2,627 | 3.20 | No |
| 13 | Liberia | 1,759 | 4.04 | No |
| 14 | Chad | 1,693 | 4.32 | No |
| 15 | Yemen | 2,956 | 3.56 | No |
| 16 | Burkina Faso | 2,175 | 4.32 | No |
| 17 | Rwanda | 2,458 | 3.19 | No |
| 18 | Uganda | 2,615 | 4.60 | No |
| 19 | Mali | 2,340 | 4.23 | No |
| 20 | Ethiopia | 2,811 | 4.18 | No |
Monarchy Share: 0%
Average: Per Capita GDP ≈ 1,900 USD (sum of 20 ÷ 20, rounded), Happiness Index ≈ 3.83 (sum of 20 ÷ 20, 2 decimals)[1][2]
Table 3: Top 20 Happiest Nations (by Happiness Index)
| Rank | Country | Happiness Index (2024) | Per Capita GDP (PPP, 2021 Int’l $) | Monarchy? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finland | 7.74 | 53,495 | No |
| 2 | Denmark | 7.58 | 63,316 | Yes |
| 3 | Iceland | 7.53 | 60,963 | No |
| 4 | Sweden | 7.40 | 58,144 | Yes |
| 5 | Norway | 7.30 | 87,858 | Yes |
| 6 | Netherlands | 7.32 | 62,824 | Yes |
| 7 | Switzerland | 7.24 | 82,865 | No |
| 8 | Luxembourg | 7.12 | 131,590 | Yes |
| 9 | New Zealand | 7.12 | 47,499 | Yes |
| 10 | Austria | 7.10 | 60,901 | No |
| 11 | Australia | 7.06 | 57,779 | Yes |
| 12 | Israel | 7.05 | 44,605 | No |
| 13 | Germany | 6.95 | 56,998 | No |
| 14 | Canada | 6.90 | 54,829 | Yes |
| 15 | Ireland | 6.84 | 113,719 | No |
| 16 | United Kingdom | 6.78 | 50,229 | Yes |
| 17 | United States | 6.72 | 69,288 | No |
| 18 | Belgium | 6.59 | 53,589 | Yes |
| 19 | Czech Republic | 6.58 | 41,804 | No |
| 20 | United Arab Emirates | 6.56 | 74,245 | Yes |
Monarchy Share: 55%
Average: Happiness Index ≈ 7.09 (sum of 20 ÷ 20, 2 decimals), Per Capita GDP ≈ 66,500 USD (sum of 20 ÷ 20, rounded)[1][2]
Table 4: Bottom 20 Happiest Nations (by Happiness Index)
| Rank | Country | Happiness Index (2024) | Per Capita GDP (PPP, 2021 Int’l $) | Monarchy? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Afghanistan | 1.72 | 2,069 | No |
| 2 | Lebanon | 2.39 | 13,041 | No |
| 3 | Lesotho | 2.68 | 2,849 | Yes |
| 4 | South Sudan | 2.85 | 1,071 | No |
| 5 | Sierra Leone | 3.19 | 1,951 | No |
| 6 | Rwanda | 3.19 | 2,458 | No |
| 7 | Zimbabwe | 3.20 | 2,627 | No |
| 8 | DR Congo | 3.29 | 2,401 | No |
| 9 | Malawi | 3.42 | 1,628 | No |
| 10 | Central African Republic | 3.48 | 1,107 | No |
| 11 | Burundi | 3.51 | 830 | No |
| 12 | Yemen | 3.56 | 2,956 | No |
| 13 | Tanzania | 3.62 | 2,841 | No |
| 14 | Haiti | 3.66 | 2,948 | No |
| 15 | Botswana | 3.67 | 16,493 | No |
| 16 | Zambia | 3.87 | 3,715 | No |
| 17 | Madagascar | 4.02 | 1,647 | No |
| 18 | Liberia | 4.04 | 1,759 | No |
| 19 | India | 4.05 | 8,379 | No |
| 20 | Ethiopia | 4.18 | 2,811 | No |
Monarchy Share: 5%
Average: Happiness Index ≈ 3.31 (sum of 20 ÷ 20, 2 decimals), Per Capita GDP ≈ 3,800 USD (sum of 20 ÷ 20, rounded)[1][2]
What the Numbers Reveal
The data turns conventional wisdom on its head: monarchies claim 60% of the top 20 wealthiest nations and 55% of the happiest, dwarfing their global share of about 23%. Yet they’re nearly invisible among the bottom 20 in both wealth (0%) and happiness (5%). This sharp divide hints at monarchy’s unique strengths in stabilizing governance, uniting cultures, or ensuring enduring leadership.
Digging deeper, we compare the global share of developed economies to that within monarchies. Per the IMF’s 2023 classification, about 40 of the world’s 193 nations—those with per capita GDP over $20,000 and high human development—make up 20.7%. Of the 43 monarchies worldwide, 20 are developed (per Table 1), a striking 46.5%. This odds-defying pattern—monarchies are over twice as likely to be prosperous—underscores a clear tie to economic success[3].
Rethinking Monarchy
These figures shatter the myth that monarchy spells stagnation. From Scandinavia’s Denmark and Norway to the Gulf’s United Arab Emirates, it thrives in modernity. Its resilience might lie in a unifying symbolism beyond politics, an honor-bound moral compass, or deep-rooted social trust—qualities many republics lack.
If we cherish open discourse, monarchy deserves a fair hearing. Today’s global crises—division, populism, ethical drift—prove no single system fits all. It’s not the final solution, but it’s a contender worth weighing, not shunning. The evidence speaks for itself—will we dare to listen and debate?
References
- Per capita GDP from the World Bank’s GDP per capita, PPP (constant 2021 international $), 2023 release (some 2022 values), see https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.KD. Applies to Tables 1-4.
- Happiness Index from the World Happiness Report 2024, 2021-2023 average, PDF at https://worldhappiness.report/ed/2024/. Applies to Tables 1-4.
- Developed nation classification from the IMF’s World Economic Outlook Database, October 2023, see https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/weo-database/2023/October. Applies to “What the Numbers Reveal.”
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