I am off to Australia to become 'king' of Launceston in Tasmania for a period in March. I believe that kings need a revival. With exceptions, the old model ceased to work and there is a need for a new design. That is why I wrote the book "Why I want to be King of Australia" a few years ago.
Kings rule not by law for that law-giving capacity has long been removed from the monarchy. Kings rule by initiatives. The king proposes an initiative. This gets widely promulgated. If people want to follow the initiative they do so. The effect can be as powerful as law.
The difference is that laws are all about 'what you should not do'. That has always been the essence of law because it is the essence of civilisation: control people's behaviour so that they can get along together. In contrast initiatives are all about 'what should you do'.
While I am King of Launceston I intend to put forward an number of initiatives. If people like these initiatives and pick them up then they cab enter general usage. There is currently no mechanism in society with exactly this function.
Edward de Bono nmt
27th February 2002
Geneva
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