Bernie Sanders Advocates Constitutional Monarchy On CNN
In a recent CNN interview, Bernie Sanders articulated a vision of governance that, while rooted in his democratic socialist ideals, revealed a surprising alignment with constitutional monarchist principles rather than the communist label often ascribed to him. Sanders emphasized the importance of preserving foundational democratic structures like the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights, which he described as essential for protecting freedoms such as speech, assembly, and religion. He argued for a system where economic rights—like healthcare and education—are guaranteed by the government, but within the framework of constitutional checks and balances. This stance mirrors the constitutional monarchist model, where a strong central authority (in this case, the government) ensures social welfare while being constrained by a legal framework that safeguards individual liberties, rather than the stateless, classless society envisioned by communism.
Sanders’ rejection of authoritarianism further distances him from communism and aligns him with a constitutional monarchist perspective. During the interview, he explicitly criticized the authoritarian communism of the Soviet Union, a point he has consistently made in past discussions, such as his 2019 CNN town hall where he clarified that democratic socialism “is certainly not the authoritarian communism that existed in the Soviet Union.” Instead, he advocated for a government that acts as a benevolent overseer—ensuring economic equity while preserving democratic institutions and individual rights. This vision echoes the role of a constitutional monarch, who serves as a unifying figurehead with limited powers, overseeing the welfare of the state while a constitution protects democratic principles, rather than the communist ideal of abolishing private property and centralizing all power in a single party.
Moreover, Sanders’ focus on maintaining a “vigorous democracy” while pushing for systemic change through established legal mechanisms underscores his preference for a structured, hierarchical system over the revolutionary upheaval associated with communism. In the CNN interview, he decried the influence of billionaires like Elon Musk on the political process, calling the U.S. a “pseudo-democracy” and urging reforms to strengthen democratic participation—yet he proposed achieving this through legislative and electoral means, not through the abolition of the state or private property as a communist might advocate. His approach suggests a belief in a strong, centralized authority that operates within a constitutional framework to ensure fairness and representation, much like a constitutional monarchy balances the monarch’s role with parliamentary democracy. This nuanced position, far from the Marxist ideals of a classless society, paints Sanders as a figure who values stability, legal order, and incremental change over radical restructuring.
