Monarchy vs republic?

[Steffo]

This question has probably been raised before...but anyway,

Which government is the best? Monarchy or republic?
You get them almost at the same time in the tech-tree.

Republic means lower corruption than Monarchy, but how much lower?
I ususally do like this:
Wartime=monarchy
Peacetime=republic

Do you do the same?

 

[redhulkz]

during ancient period, when Building and stable the foundation ( roads, irrigation, etc) of your state, i use Monarchy.

after that i embark on continuous expansion , i use Republic till industrial or modern age. cause Republic can produce high $$, high science and war weariness can easily be contained.

i use Republic most of the game time.

i dont change govt just because i'm at war or peace.

 

[WildFire]

This is the way I decide for my early government.

Republic: If I have enough luxuries already (at lest 2-3) or I can get enough through trade or war. And if I am a non-industrious civ so building roads and stuff takes longer so the gold it produces is better. As he said, war weariness is easy to contain.

Monarchy: If I don’t have enough luxuries and I need the military police because it’s always nice to have 2 or even 3 automatic content citizens. Plus, going after Monarchy gives you a chance for the Hanging Gardens which are always a nice grab

 

[ivory]

Most of the time Monarchy gets discovered earlier, is my experience, some AI's seem to beeline for it, perhaps because of those Hanging Gardens. If Replublic is not yet in sight, I will switch to Monarchy and often stay that until Democracy (for which I beeline) if I 'm not religious. For religious civs an extra revolution to go from Monarchy to Republic isn't that high a price.

 

[Brewster]

I always go with Republic. It has lower corruption than Monarchy and will eventually generate a large amount of science and cash. Because of this, I rarely ever make the switch to Democracy.

The only time I use Monarchy is if I am a religious civ (no anarchy) and feel the need to exterminate everyone in the early part of the game.

 

[BretP]

I have gotten to the point where I only use Republic. I only switch if I get involved in a LONG war and the weariness cannot be contained. The benefits are great.

 

[xIcemanx]

I never research Monarchy. It takes too long to get all those techs on the bottom line. What I do is, in the tech tree, go directly into Literature, Code of Laws, then Philosophy and switch to Republic. I generally switch governments around the beginning of the Middle Ages, so when my Chinese Golden Age comes, it's perfect for the new wonders (Sistine, etc.)

 

[amirsan]

Originally posted by redhulkz
during ancient period, when Building and stable the foundation ( roads, irrigation, etc) of your state, i use Monarchy.

after that i embark on continuous expansion , i use Republic till industrial or modern age. cause Republic can produce high $$, high science and war weariness can easily be contained.

i use Republic most of the game time.

i dont change govt just because i'm at war or peace.

Why would you stay with Republic for the whole or most of the game, Democracy is muuuuch better.

 

[Inter4]

Republic...I research monarchy just to build the hanging gardens

 

[Nad]

republic is the best government in the game. Democracy has the added advantage of faster workers (very useful when steam power comes along, not that big a deal if you are already an industrious civ) but the higer war weariness is a killer if you want to fight. While it is possible to fight an offensive war succesfully from republic for a protracted period, in democracy you can only manage a few turns before the war weariness starts to really bite.

There are few situations when I go for monarchy:

1) if Monarchy is discovered first and I am a religious civ, I'd switch, because monarchy is way better than despotism

2) in certain situations where luxes are extremely hard to come by and I feel the need for the 3MP, I will use Monarchy

3) In heavy war games (especially always war) monarchy is the best government to fight from

 

[Rubberjello]

I usually always go for Republic.

If I'm Religious, then I'll go for Monarchy since it usually available sooner then Republic (marginally), but then switch to Republic.

I sometimes use Monarchy for Late Game domination wins that require 60+ straight turns of war. (Rather than Communism)

 

[The Last Conformist]

I never use Monarchy - I've yet to experience so sever WW that going into Anarchy for several turns seems preferable, and rarely play Religeous civs. I usually stay in Republic for most or all of the game; sure, Democracy is better and I've successfully fought major 20-turn wars in it., but the an revolution costs an awful lot of time, and I'm usually in war most of the time, which means revolutions hurt extra bad.

 

[Crowpocalyptic1]

For war, I like Anarchy... except for the fact that workers don't work as fast and there's no production...

BUT If I happen to have all the units I need, and don't want to produce any more, I might as well just go through a revolution during my war

 

[Grille]

Originally posted by BretP
I have gotten to the point where I only use Republic. I only switch if I get involved in a LONG war and the weariness cannot be contained. The benefits are great.

Same here. Especially when I play an industrious, non-religious civ. Republic allows nice research speed, while ww isn't severe.

edit:typo

 

[Catt]

With a religious civ, I tend to use whichever I get to first. Whether religious or not, I want to switch to Republic as quickly as possible. Nevermind the slightly lowered corruption versus Monarchy, the real difference is the extra $$. Under Republic (and Democracy), each tile worked by a city laborer that already produces at least one gold will produce an extra gold -- a Republic, in the early Middle Ages, tends to produce somewhere between 50% and 80% more commerce than a Monarchy. While that increased income is partially offset by army upkeep and potential entertainment spending, I seem to have adjusted my playstyle to the point that Republic is virtually always the better choice for me than Monarchy (i.e., faster research, happy or even happier populace, same military force). The one exception is when I am being so bloodthirsty that I can't envision peace for hundreds of turns.

Give me Republic every time.

 

[Sirp]

Republic is the best, easily. Monarchy and Democracy are both of little value. If you're religious, then they may have a little value, although the time to research and the turn of anarchy is usually enough to deter going into them. The ONLY advantage of democracy is the faster workers, since the corruption difference is insignificant.

-Sirp.

 

[redhulkz]

Originally posted by amirsan


Why would you stay with Republic for the whole or most of the game, Democracy is muuuuch better.

1st reason: war weariness

2nd : i seldom use reglious civ, its troublesome to change gov when u at war, so i go republic

 

[amirsan]

Doesn't Democracy give you additional commerse or something otherthan faster workers???

 

[redhulkz]

Originally posted by amirsan
Doesn't Democracy give you additional commerse or something otherthan faster workers???

i focus more on war weariness than commerce cos i'm always at war

 

[Sirp]

@amirsan: yes democracy gives you additional commerce through reduced corruption. However the amount of extra commerce is insignificant.

-Sirp.