Australia abolishes feudalism again

Tony Abbott is fortunately gone, but one thing he will be remembered for is his "captain's call" to bring back knighthoods and award them to "pre-eminent Australians" such as Phillip Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg. It reminded everyone of why they hated feudalism, and made Abbott a laughing-stock. But Abbott was overthrown as Australian Prime Minister last month, and his archaic feudal titles have been dumped with him:

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has dumped knights and dames from the Order of Australia, after Cabinet agreed they were not appropriate in Australia's modern honours system.

Former prime minister Tony Abbott re-introduced the old-style imperial honours in 2014 and at the time, said up to four would be bestowed each year.

Mr Turnbull has released a statement saying the Queen has agreed to remove the honours.

"The Cabinet resolved to recommend to Her Majesty that she amend the Letters Patent, which establish the Order of Australia, so that Knights and Dames would no longer be appointed to the Order," the statement said.

Good riddance. Australia had gone 25 years without tugging the forelock to feudalism, and its good to see that reassert itself. And hopefully, a future government will do exactly the same here.