|
|
Having spent years studying and
researching the histories of honours systems worldwide, Guy Stair
Sainty and Rafal Heydel-Mankoo are well-placed to comment on the
practices of different countries. These short pieces, stating their
own opinions, are not to be found in the book, but were instead
specially written for various press releases. But by illuminating
the differences between different systems and, in some cases,
highlighting their inadequacies, they make fascinating reading in
their own right.
On corruption
and the British honours system
“The
editors of Burke’s Peerage and Gentry World Orders of Knighthood and
Merit propose a radical solution to the problem of corruption of the
British honours system, which would completely remove control from
the hands of politicians. This proposal looks to the experience of
other European countries, establishing a publicly accountable
independent administration while increasing the allocation of awards
for a wider range of public services. The authors also criticise the
proposals of the recent House of Commons report on the Honours
system as ill-thought out and likely to diminish rather than enhance
the prestige of national honours.”
|
 |
|
On an American system
of national honours
“The
editors…urge a revival of President Eisenhower’s plan to establish a
system of national honours, removed from arbitrary political control and
that can distinguish individual service in the name of the nation as a
whole. The republican philosopher Jean Jacques Rousseau wrote in 1772
that with “honours
and public rewards, all the patriotic virtues should be glorified, that
citizens should constantly be kept occupied with the fatherland, that it
should be made their principal business, that it should be kept
continuously before their eyes”
and this is no less true today. At a time when a nation may be divided
politically it is particularly important that there is a means of
rewarding extraordinary service that is not tied to any particular
political allegiance.”
On the Italian
system
“World Orders
of Knighthood and Merit includes a particularly detailed section on the
historic Italian Orders as well as the modern merit awards given by the
Republic. The histories of the great Orders of Chivalry such as Malta,
the Constantinian, Saint Stephen, and Saints Maurice and Lazarus are
given in detail, with full histories of the dynastic awards of those
families who once ruled parts of Italy. The editors have criticised the
overuse of the Italian Order of Merit of the Republic, and invite a
comparison with the awards systems of countries which have greater
independence from political intervention. They also caution against the
diminution of once extremely selective awards, such as the Military
Order of Italy, whose higher ranks have been given more frequently in
the last few years than at any time in the Order’s history, even though
Italy has not been engaged in a major war.”
On the Spanish
system
“The editors
have suggested that some of the lesser Spanish awards may be usefully
combined into one service award but urge the continued use of the
historic Orders. When notable achievement is recognized by the grant of
an historic Order of Knighthood from the hands of the Sovereign, the
recipients are united with earlier generations that served the nation.
In countries with ancient traditions it is important that the citizens
of today are rewarded in a way that links them directly to the
historical past; such awards when conferred on citizens descended from
immigrants give them an immediate connection to the national saga.”
On the Swedish system
“The editors
strongly urge the re-establishment of the award of national honours to
Swedish citizens. […] Recognition of public achievement by the conferral
of an honour marks out those who serve the nation and community but
whose standing may not otherwise bring them to public notice. […]
Unfortunately since Swedish citizens have been ineligible for their own
national awards, the “self-styled” Orders have found a strong foothold
in Sweden and are even authorised to be worn by officers in the Swedish
military. This leads to ridicule rather than admiration for those
wearing such worthless distinctions.”
|
