The New World Order

Published May 20, 2019 · Updated July 6, 2022

Hi guys

First of all, thank you all for enhancing this season with your podcasts each week, I have found myself looking forward to them almost as much as the actual show itself so major credit to all of you.

There are so many things to discuss but I reckon the small council will be inundated this week so I’ll stick to one issue.

Succession

So as I see it, the consensus that the Houses of Westeros came to is kind of a ….Kingsmoot?

The great houses elect a King from within themselves to rule, the theory being that this will lead to a decent ruler and you avoid the situation where you get a Joffrey on the throne just because he is “next in line”.

I think this works once. Bran as the three-eyed raven sees all and it will be very hard to fool him. He can also manipulate things to ensure that the right person at the right time succeeds him.

However, history has shown us that this type of elective decision making is open to bribery, corruption and political shenanigans. In a few short generations, one of the more powerful houses is going to manipulate or buy the throne then change the law to get an inherited succession.

The show tried to show us a move to democracy I’m glad Sam was scoffed at for his true democratic suggestion because in the world GOT is set in the common folk are viewed as and are in fact uneducated, we saw this with Davos’ lack of reading and writing ability. However, Westeros is a long long way from reaching the Westerosi equivalent of the English parliament set up. They are still very much stuck in the Monarch/Emperor mode of government and will be for some time.

I would have liked to know exactly what Deanery’s world order would have panned out to be but I can’t really see how it would have been any different to be honest. Slavery does not exist in Westeros and she had just won the throne and it is clear she intended on ruling as a Monarch so I’m not sure exactly how life changes for the common folk under her rule. She would have still been a spoke in the wheel.

That’s it from me, thank you very much for being part of the GOT journey with us all and I’ll see you when WW season three premiers!!!

Mike T – The North (of England)

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