Malcolm Rivera
A constitutional monarchy is a system of government in which a monarch shares power with a constitutionally organized government. The monarch may be the de facto head of state or hold a ceremonial position. The constitution allocates the rest of the government's power to the legislature and judiciary. In most constitutional monarchies, the monarch's political powers are limited, and their duties are largely ceremonial. Real governmental power is typically exercised by a parliament or similar legislative body overseen by a prime minister. The United Kingdom, Japan, and Thailand are examples of constitutional monarchies.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Powers | In constitutional monarchies, the monarch's power is controlled by a set of laws and basic principles outlined in a constitution. They do not have exclusive power to make laws, and their role is largely ceremonial. |
| Law-making | The power to make laws is placed in the legislature. |
| Head of State | The monarch acts as the head of state and undertakes constitutional and representational duties. |
| Sovereignty | The monarch does not have sovereignty as they do not have exclusive power to make laws. |
| Executive power | Some monarchs retain some executive power, including the power to conduct foreign affairs. However, in countries like the UK and Japan, the monarch has no executive power. |
| Stability | The monarch provides a sense of stability and continuity. |
| Royal prerogative | In some countries, the government exercises its powers under "royal (or Crown) prerogative", using powers still formally possessed by the monarch. |
| Oaths | People taking public office must swear an oath of allegiance to the monarch. |
| Constitutional convention | The monarch is bound by constitutional convention to act on the advice of the government. |
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What You'll Learn
Constitutional monarchy vs. absolute monarchy
A constitutional monarchy is a form of monarchy in which the monarch exercises their authority in accordance with a constitution and shares power with an elected parliament. The monarch is not the sole decision-maker and is bound to exercise powers and authorities within limits prescribed by an established legal framework. Constitutional monarchies can range from countries where the constitution grants substantial discretionary powers to the sovereign, such as Liechtenstein and Monaco, to countries where the monarch retains significantly less personal discretion, such as the United Kingdom, Australia, and other Commonwealth realms.
In contrast, an absolute monarchy is a form of government in which the monarch holds supreme power and rules as a dictator. The monarch is the sole decision-maker and is not bound by a constitution or any other legal framework. Absolute monarchies are devoid of checks and balances, and the public has no recourse if the monarch commits misconduct. While some may argue that a benevolent absolute monarch is the ideal form of government, the risk of degeneration into an aristocratic oligarchy or dictatorship is high.
One example of a transition from absolute monarchy to constitutional monarchy is France in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The French monarchy was an absolute monarchy under the Ancien Régime, but the Estates General's transformation into the National Assembly in 1789 initiated a transition to a constitutional monarchy. France formally became an executive constitutional monarchy with the promulgation of the French Constitution of 1791, but this system was short-lived as the monarchy was overthrown in 1792.
Another example of a transition from absolute monarchy to constitutional monarchy is Hawaii. King Kamehameha III promulgated the kingdom's first constitution in 1840, establishing a constitutional monarchy that continued until the monarchy was overthrown in an 1893 coup.
The debate between constitutional monarchy and absolute monarchy revolves around the level of power granted to the monarch and the presence of checks and balances. While some argue that a constitutional monarchy provides a balance of power between the monarch and an elected body, others argue that an absolute monarchy allows the monarch to act without constraints and potentially avoid misconduct by politicians. However, the risk of power being abused or misused is higher in an absolute monarchy, and the idea of parliament is deeply rooted in many societies.
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Semi-constitutional monarchies
A semi-constitutional monarchy, also known as an executive monarchy, is a form of constitutional monarchy in which the monarch wields significant, but not absolute, power. In this system, the monarchy is a powerful political and social institution. While the monarch rules according to a democratic constitution, they still retain substantial powers.
In Liechtenstein, the Prince Regnant appoints the government, which must enjoy the confidence of both the legislature and the Prince. The hereditary monarch also has the power to dissolve parliament and veto powers. In Monaco, the powers of the Prince are even greater. According to the 1962 constitution, the Prince is the dominant actor in the exercise of executive powers and has far-reaching powers in the legislative sphere, including the exclusive right to initiate laws and absolute veto powers.
While there is debate about whether systems with powerful monarchs can truly be considered democracies, many reputable categorisations classify these regimes as democratic.
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The role of the British monarch
The British monarchy is a constitutional monarchy, which means that while the sovereign (the king or queen) is the head of state, the ability to make and pass legislation resides with an elected parliament. The monarch's powers are regulated by the British constitution.
The current monarch is King Charles III, who ascended the throne on 8 September 2022, following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. As head of state, the monarch has a constitutional role, including functions such as bestowing honours, declaring war, making peace, and appointing the prime minister. The monarch is also head of the armed forces and accredits British ambassadors. The monarch has a duty to open new sessions of parliament and give royal assent to bills passed by parliament, signifying that they have become law.
The monarch also has a less formal role as 'head of the nation', acting as a focus for national identity, unity, and pride. This role is often fulfilled through speeches, such as the King's annual Christmas broadcast, and through visits to the armed forces, schools, hospitals, charities, and local organisations. The monarch and their family also undertake various official, ceremonial, diplomatic, and representational duties, promoting British interests and values abroad and increasing tourism at home.
While the monarch's role has evolved over time, with the sovereign ceding power to the elected parliament, they continue to play an important part in the life of the nation and are considered a unique soft power and diplomatic asset for the UK.
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Constitutional monarchy as power sharing
A constitutional monarchy is a system of government in which a monarch shares power with a constitutionally organized government. The monarch may be the de facto head of state or a ceremonial leader. The constitution allocates the rest of the government's power to the legislature and judiciary. This form of monarchy differs from absolute monarchy in that the monarch is not the sole decision-maker and must exercise their powers within the limits prescribed by an established legal framework.
In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch typically acts as a non-party political ceremonial head of state under the constitution, whether codified or uncodified. The monarch may retain substantial powers, on par with a president in a presidential or semi-presidential system, or they may have very limited personal discretion in exercising their authority. For example, the constitution of the United Kingdom affords the monarch substantial, yet limited, legislative and executive powers.
The evolution towards constitutional monarchy can be traced back to the transition to democracy, where some autocracies transformed into republics while others evolved into constitutional monarchies. During this transition, a hereditary king and a liberal challenger may coexist and fight for power, bringing office rents and policy-making responsibilities. If the king wins, he establishes an absolute monarchy; if the liberal wins, a republic is established. However, they may also agree on a constitutional monarchy, sharing office rents and policy-making responsibilities.
Historically, different countries have followed diverse paths towards establishing constitutional monarchy, but they also share some broad common trends. For example, all new European states emerging in the twentieth century after the two world wars were founded as republics, while all European states founded after the Napoleonic Wars in the nineteenth century were set up as kingdoms.
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The evolution of constitutional monarchy
A constitutional monarchy is a form of monarchy in which the monarch exercises their authority in accordance with a constitution and is not the sole decision-maker. It is also known as limited monarchy, parliamentary monarchy, or democratic monarchy.
The oldest constitutional monarchy dates back to the ancient Hittites, an Anatolian people of the Bronze Age whose king shared authority with an assembly known as the Panku, which functioned similarly to a modern legislature. In 548 BC, Demonax established a constitutional monarchy for King Battus III the Lame of Cyrene. The Kingdom of England transitioned to a constitutional monarchy during the Glorious Revolution of 1688, which was further codified by laws such as the Bill of Rights of 1689 and the Act of Settlement of 1701, building upon the foundations laid by the Magna Carta in 1215.
Constitutional monarchies vary in the level of power granted to the sovereign. In countries like Liechtenstein, Monaco, Morocco, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Bhutan, the constitution grants substantial discretionary powers to the monarch. In contrast, in countries like the United Kingdom, Australia, and other Commonwealth realms, the Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Lesotho, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, and Japan, the monarch's power is significantly limited, and they primarily serve as ceremonial heads of state.
In executive or semi-constitutional monarchies, the monarch wields significant, though not absolute, power and is a prominent political and social institution. On the other hand, ceremonial monarchs hold little or no actual power or direct political influence, though they often retain substantial social and cultural influence. While constitutional monarchies may vary in the specific powers granted to the monarch, they are characterized by the monarch's adherence to a constitution or established legal framework that guides their decision-making.
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Frequently asked questions
A constitutional monarchy is a system of government in which a monarch shares power with a constitutionally organized government. The monarch may be the de facto head of state or a ceremonial leader.
In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch's power is limited by a constitution. Political power is shared between the monarch and a constitutionally organized government, such as a parliament.
Examples of constitutional monarchies include the United Kingdom, Canada, Sweden, Japan, Thailand, Belgium, Cambodia, Jordan, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and Liechtenstein.
