Equestria Is Not A Kingdom. So What Is It?

[Denim&Venöm 18,710]

We've heard Kingdom of Equestria since episode 1. But obviously this is a misnomer since there is no king or even a queen. Princess seems to infer the same level of authority, but then that clashes with actual kings and queens in the show. And Equestria does not appear to be a principality either, as those are more like colonies to a larger empire. 

So what is Equestria then? Empire or Imperium are accurate since there are royal rulers. An oligarchy would technically fit. A small group ruling a country. 

But if we look not at the what but the how, Equestria could be a Meritocracy or Timocracy. Earning the crown though deeds, service, honor and ability.  

Of course, the title of princess maybe ceremonial. Like how the president is commander and chief, princess could be seen as a secondary title compared to the actual position of power they hold. If that is the case, then Equestria maybe a different beast entirely. 

We never see anypony vote, not even in a regional capacity, so that rules out a democracy and a republic. The ponies have autonomy, but no real influence within the government on a national level. 

In Princess Spike, we see ponies and even Griffins from across Equestria bringing gems from their homelands to construct a ceremonial statue. If these ponies recognize themselves as distinct regions, colonies or even states, then Equestria may actually be a federation or possibly a strong confederation, league or union all deferring to a central authority, The Princesses. 

How about you? What do you all think. What is Equestria? 

 

 

[Nye 1,652]

I think it’s just a country set up similar to the U.S. but not the government style.

[Lucid_Nightlight 923]

While Twilight may have political power, I don't think she's exactly a ruler. I think she's more like a governer at best. She probably doesn't have the same power as Celestia and Luna.

As for Cadence, I think the Crystal Empire  (which seems more like a city state to me) is its own separate nation, but is a very close ally to Equestria.

If what I'm saying is true (I could be completely wrong) then that would make Equestria a diarchy.

[Pr0m4NV14 839]

Equestria is actually similar to the Discworld. It is help up by Eight giant ponies who ride a even bigger turtle.

[Ganondorf8 11,284]

I see it as several kingdoms that make up one land mass with each kingdom governed by its own monarchy.

[Fhaolan 4,483]

In all honesty, it is likely 'Kingdom' is a holdover from a prior organization that's just held on out of inertia. It's not that unusual for the ruler's title to be out-of-sync with the title of the ruled region. The most confusing one I found in history was the Holy Roman Empire, which was often run by an elected King, depending on whether the Pope disagreed with whoever got elected that time around. If he liked the 'King' then it became 'Emperor', but if he didn't like whoever then they just remained King. It was weird and confusing, but that entire part of history is kinda a mess.

And also the remaining Principalities that exist in the real world are technically independent countries, although most of them are barely more than city-states and are usually counted as 'micronations' now. Princes running independent countries used to be more of a thing, in between whenever an Empire collapsed and the next Empire gobbled them up.

In any case, my own opinion is that the 'Kingdom' of Equestria is complicated, and is predicated on the thought that the 'Crystal Empire' must have been a *lot* bigger than just one city when it gained that name. The Empire obviously collapsed, leaving just the Imperial City itself as a remnant, perhaps when Sombra took control, or was banished. The rest of the Empire disintegrated into various Kingdoms, Principalities, etc. One of which was the 'Kingdom of Equestria', likely a city-state centered on the Castle of the Two Sisters. Which over time expanded under Celestia (and occasionally Luna) to occupy all lands previously claimed by the Empire (except for the northern wastes) and perhaps more.

When the Imperial City re-appeared, it seems to have been taken over as a vassal state of Equestria. Technically run by their own Princess, but just assumed to be part of the Equestrian Empire due to it's previous existence as the capitol of the old Crystal Empire that Equestria was once a small part of.

[Velgarn 12]

More or less what Fhaolan said. But also because maybe before Equestria was founded, there where the ancient tribes of ponies who then found Celestia and Luna and then called them "Princesses" and called Equestria a Reign, probably because they where organized in that wayor wanted to have some sort of unification.
From that point on, everyone just referred Equestria as a Kingdom, but only as a generic name that could have lost his real meanings through time.
The Crystal Empire is also ancient, and is a little explored in the Books, where Princess Amore is shown before Sombra became a "King", which is a title he gave himself for motives i don't want to spoiler for those who haven't read the comics.

[Hierok 11,831]

Maybe it was called a kingdom, because Celestia ruled alone. Luna was banished to the moon and Cadence and Twilight weren't yet alicorns.

[RDDash 19,163]

I kind of think that Equestria is more or less an empire, which is funny because a city-state called Crystal Empire acts as puppet state to Equestria 

[Altastrofae 933]

I think you've neglected to look into how a total monarchy works. Celestia and Luna are sisters. At some point, upon reaching a certain age, the eldest sister would be given a coronation ceremony and become the crowned princess, holding nearly as much power, at least in some much older examples of monarchy. As we all know, this would be Celestia. This would make sense seeing as she seems to hold much more power than Luna. Considering their ages, the parents are probably dead, but Celestia will not be considered a queen until either (a) she marries, or (b) the death of her parents is finalized. What I mean by this is that maybe they dont know for sure, so a crowned princess would be the next best thing. Or maybe they arent dead and Equestria is a direct-rule colony of the main motherlands. But it still is, techniquely, a kingdom, or part of it anyways...

[Orenda 127]

In a theory video, it suggested Lauren called the female rulers 'Princess' as it does't sound as evil as King/Queen.

Edited February 4, 2018 by mellifluous
Grammar Mistakes

[Plonkett 345]

Is it even determined that there isn't a legislature or judiciary?

[Velgarn 12]

5 hours ago, mellifluous said:

In a theory video, and it suggested they called the female rulers 'Princess' as it does't sound as evil as King/Queen.

Actually it was Lauren Faust's decision to have Pincesses, because usually Queens are evil in fairy tales so they simply did that, but is funny to try to make sense in certain aspects of the show

[Denim&Venöm 18,710]

2 hours ago, Velgarn said:

Actually it was Lauren Faust's decision to have Pincesses, because usually Queens are evil in fairy tales so they simply did that, but is funny to try to make sense in certain aspects of the show

Other way around. Lauren was the one who wanted Queen Celestia, but Hasbro were the one's who preferred the positive connotation of Princess.

[Singe 2,111]

The term Princessipality fits and it's more of a co-princessipality since there are multiple princesses.

[Abstract 832]

On 2/3/2018 at 9:48 AM, mellifluous said:

In a theory video, and it suggested they called the female rulers 'Princess' as it does't sound as evil as King/Queen.

That's... odd reasoning.

[Orenda 127]

It is a child show, so it kinda makes sense..

 

Edited February 4, 2018 by mellifluous

[Velgarn 12]

19 hours ago, Denim&Venom said:

Other way around. Lauren was the one who wanted Queen Celestia, but Hasbro were the one's who preferred the positive connotation of Princess.

Yeah i was trying to remember correctly

[The Kaeya Simp 13,988]

Communist State but the communist leaders just call themselves Princesses so by the name of the leaders it would be a principality but Equestria is quite communist

[The Great Khan 0]

I think equestria is an benevelont absolute principality. The princess doesn’t have any laws that prohibits her to abuse her power.

 

while a grand federation is possible, but chancellor neighsay seemed xenophobic towards non-ponies, suggesting that griffons, hippogriffs and many other non-ponies are seen as foriegn.

 

I would say equestria is an imperium of man in 30k, the emperor have absolute power and magical powers the same with princess celestia.

[Twitchy-Tremor 297]

I don’t think the ponies go by king queen and that but more alicorns are more powerful, live longer and having a bit of all the races in one, difrent shape and taller.