YEAH. You can have your characters/narrative accept that this is the status quo that must be lived with without being like "and that's a good thing :)" plus it would be more INTERESTING to explore other options for state level social organization; just because the genre is obsessed with certain eras/locations in history where monarchy was the way things were doesn't mean it's the only option worth writing about! and definitely doesn't mean the narrative has to approve of it!!
no subject