Recently visited Hawaii and Iolani palace, contrary to how republics are portrayed in Europe e.g., the overthrowing of the monarchs by the people to create laws for the people. The formation of the republic in Hawaii is portrayed as foreign and local landowners, business people etc. pressuring and overthrowing the monarchy to rewrite the constitution etc. to favour them and while understandably biased the tour portrayed the monarchs as a positive presence that was overthrown.
It made me wonder whether the formation of republics is as portrayed in history books a positive practice to give power back to the people or whether it is and has always been a power grab by wealthy elites to seize power from entrenched monarchs under the guise of sympathy for the plight of the working classes.