“[people] have to free the state from all the unnecessary tasks and burdens with which it has been loaded during the last hundred years, which have distracted it from its two main tasks: maintenance of the rule of law and foreign policy.”

–Prinz Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein from his book The State in the Third Millennium

I came across this quote recently while rekindling my longtime interest in the Principality. I think it’s quite fascinating coming from one of the only remaining actual ruling monarchs in the world. More here from a Wikipedia article:

“Prince Hans-Adam II has written the political treatise The State in the Third Millennium (ISBN 9783905881042), which was published in late 2009. In it, he argues for the continued importance of the nation-state as a political actor. He makes the case for democracy as the best form of government, which he sees China and Russia as transitioning towards although the path will be difficult for these nations. He also declared his role in a royal family as something that has legitimacy only from the assent of the people. He stated that government should be limited to a small set of tasks and abilities…”

I’m seriously going to have to buy and read his book.