For Crown and country: ethnic nationalism and support for the monarchy in Canada, New Zealand, and Australia

Abstract

The Australian, Canadian, and New Zealand publics have long been divided on the issue of whether their countries should remain constitutional monarchies or become republics. A maturing sense of nationhood in each country has spurred debate as to the continuing relevance of remaining constitutional ties with Britain. This article aims to test whether support toward monarchy is explained by ethnic nationalism, a conception of nationhood founded on cultural unity. To do so, we rely on national electoral studies, covering the period from 1964 to 2021. This data allows for a fine-grained description of the attitudes toward monarchy among various sub-groups. Our findings suggest that reluctance to break away from the monarchy can be understood as part of a nationalist response to growing ethnic diversity and an accompanying perception of cultural threat. These findings contribute to a better understanding of public attitudes toward the monarchy in three Commonwealth countries.