Pure is a nonsense absolutely.
I'd remove the monarchy, but right now it isn't doing any harm. When it does, it will be removed from the system. That tension, that "sword of damocles", the monarchy is very aware of and it keeps them in check. No one should be born into positions and I have no time for royals complaining of their gilded cage. At some point the UK will restructure I"m sure (federate and decentralise) and each time wil reduce the monarchy position.
I said "arguably the press was a bit too free". That is not saying I think it is. Only that I see a case for the argument it is. Out of that and a totally state controlled press, free is better. Things fester in darkness. Unaccountable power corrupts. Fact free needs more consequences, but that isn't the same as choking freedom.
Money drives China just as much. That's OK. Money is just an expression of value we are prepared to exchange. It's an intermediate used between goods. An abstraction. Even if we ever get to post scarcity, it will be with us.
Taiwan does want China. It can see what happened to Hong Kong. We all can. If China wants it, it will have to take it by force. Just like Russia is trying to with Ukraine.
The problem is that level of wealth should not be in anyone's hand. Elon is demonstrating why, but Elon shouldn't have been allowed to get into this position.