Neonchameleon
Legend
Failures might be a strong term. I think generally monks have not been well-made in the history of DnD but I don't see what that has to do as far as the viability or uniqueness of a class. A monk is a terrible fighter and it isn't exactly a rogue either (no sneak attack or trap finding)
Point of information 1: A 1e monk gained Find/Remove Traps and Open Locks as a thief of the same level.
Point of information 2: Why shouldn't monks with their training on ... interesting ground get trap finding?
but it is certainly as much rogue as it is fighter. It is a 'martial' class that uses skills (or tricks or w/e) to provide extra ability beyond simply standing there and fighting.
This shouldn't set it apart from any other martial art. The biggest place where pre-4e fluff did not meet reality unless you wanted really abstract combat was that the fighters simply stood there and fought.
Has it been designed poorly in the past? Possibly but that doesn't invalidate the attempts.
As far as the 'contemplative' class. I think that is much more spot on. What other classes are even trying for that role?
Some clerics, some wizards. But contemplatives should contemplate. Not adventure.
Who says that monks can't have martial arts while letting every other (or any other) class have unarmed abilities too?
The same people who think that martial art = unarmed abilities? They aren't. Many martial arts start unarmed and then progress to weapons. Some start with weapons and progress to unarmed. And the unarmed fighter should be possible (4e has an excellent Brawler Fighter).
Even with the core four you have niche protection. The wizard isn't going to have the armor or weapons of a fighter and a fighter isn't going to have the spells of a wizard.
Which is new since the AD%D Fighter/Magic User.
Also, if anything monk is that one class that belongs as a hybrid of fighter and rogue unlike any other class.
I don't believe that that gap has existed since 2000. If we want a 1e monk, we are looking at a variant acrobatic rogue. Which can work. Or we go 4e monk and raise the acrobatics through the roof.