Monarchy Vs Sovereignty: Who Really Rules?

Constitutional monarchy, also known as limited monarchy, parliamentary monarchy, or democratic monarchy, is a form of monarchy in which the monarch shares power with a constitutionally organized government. The authority of the monarch is restricted by a constitution or balanced by other officials, such as a prime minister. While the monarch may hold formal authority and the government may operate in their name, the monarch does not personally set public policy or choose political leaders. The constitutional monarchy still claims a power similar to sovereignty, but the principle of all sovereignty resides in the nation.

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Constitutional monarchies can be elective or self-proclaimed

In the 19th century, between 1870 and 1873, an elective monarchy was attempted in Spain. After the deposition of Isabella II in 1868, a new parliament was formed through direct male suffrage. It was decided that a democratically elected monarch was needed, and Amadeo I was chosen. However, he abdicated in 1873, and a republic was proclaimed.

In the United States, Alexander Hamilton proposed that the President should be an elective monarch, ruling for "good behaviour" (i.e., for life, unless impeached) and with extensive powers. However, this proposal was voted down.

A self-proclaimed monarchy is when an individual claims a monarchy without historical ties to a previous dynasty. For example, in 1804, Napoleon Bonaparte proclaimed himself "Emperor Napoleon I" of France. In 1928, Ahmet Zogu, the president of Albania, proclaimed himself "King Zog I" and ruled for 11 years until the Italian invasion. In 1970, Leonard Casley proclaimed his wheat farm in Western Australia the "Principality of Hutt River", styling himself as "His Royal Highness Prince Leonard I".

The monarch's role is largely symbolic

A constitutional monarchy is a political system in which a monarch shares power with a constitutionally organized government. In this form of monarchy, the monarch's role is largely symbolic, and they act as a ceremonial head of state, performing representative and civic duties. The monarch may hold formal authority, but they do not personally set public policy or choose political leaders. Instead, they function as a symbol of national unity and continuity, providing a sense of stability to the nation.

The authority of the monarch in a constitutional monarchy is restricted and balanced by a constitution and other officials, such as a prime minister. They may retain certain unique legal and ceremonial roles, but their political power is limited or non-existent. For example, in the United Kingdom, the monarch has substantial, yet limited, legislative and executive powers, and they exercise these powers strictly in accordance with constitutional principles rather than personal preferences.

The role of the monarch as a symbolic figurehead can be seen in countries like the United Kingdom, where the monarch is the Head of State but does not have a political or executive role. They undertake constitutional and representational duties, acting as a focus for national identity and pride. Similarly, in Spain, the king serves as a figurehead constitutional monarch, with the ability to dissolve parliament or give royal assent to legislation, but these powers are exercised within constitutional constraints.

In some constitutional monarchies, the monarch may have more influence on policy-making. For instance, in Morocco, Qatar, Liechtenstein, and Thailand, the hereditary monarch is considered to have more political influence than any other single source of authority within the state, even if constrained by a constitutional mandate. However, these are exceptions to the general trend of monarchs having limited political power in constitutional monarchies.

The transition from absolute monarchy to constitutional monarchy has resulted in a shift of sovereignty away from the monarch. In the case of the French Revolution, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen proclaimed that "the principle of all sovereignty resides essentially in the nation," diminishing the sovereignty of the king. This trend continued with the rise of popular sovereignty and the emergence of liberal democracies, where power is vested in the citizenry or their elected representatives.

The monarch's authority is restricted by a constitution

A constitutional monarchy is a form of monarchy in which the monarch's authority is restricted by a constitution and they are not the sole decision-maker. In this system, the monarch shares power with a constitutionally organized government and acts as a symbolic head of state, performing mainly representative and civic roles. The monarch's authority is limited by a constitution, which may be written or unwritten, and they do not exercise executive or policy-making power.

The authority of a monarch in a constitutional monarchy is restricted by a constitution, which sets out the organization of the government and limits the monarch's power. This is in contrast to an absolute monarchy, where the sovereign is the sole source of political power and is unconstrained by constitutions, legislatures, or other checks on their authority. In an absolute monarchy, the monarch is the only decision-maker and can exercise their power without limitations.

The distinction between a constitutional monarchy and an absolute monarchy can be nuanced, and the power of the monarch in a constitutional monarchy can vary. For example, in some countries like Liechtenstein, Monaco, Morocco, and Qatar, the constitution grants substantial discretionary powers to the monarch, while in other countries like the United Kingdom, Australia, and other Commonwealth realms, the monarch retains significantly less, if any, personal discretion in the exercise of their authority.

The role of a constitutional monarch is often ceremonial and symbolic, acting as a visible symbol of national unity and performing constitutional and representational duties. They may hold formal powers, such as dissolving parliament or giving royal assent to legislation, but these powers are generally exercised in accordance with constitutional principles rather than personal political preferences.

The concept of constitutional monarchy emerged as a transformation from absolute monarchy, with the French people turning the absolute monarchy into a constitutional monarchy in 1791, claiming sovereignty in the name of the state. The German Empire established in 1871 was also a constitutional monarchy, with legislative power vested in the Federal Council and the Imperial Diet rather than the Emperor.

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The monarch has no sovereignty under Bodin's definition

Jean Bodin, a 16th-century French jurist and political philosopher, is known for his theories on sovereignty, particularly his advocacy for absolute monarchy. In his 1576 treatise "Les Six Livres de la République" ("Six Books of the Republic"), Bodin argued that sovereignty must be absolute, perpetual, and undivided. He asserted that the sovereign must be able to legislate without the consent of their subjects and must not be bound by the laws of predecessors or their own laws.

Bodin's definition of sovereignty, however, does not align with the powers held by monarchs in constitutional monarchies. In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch shares power with a constitutionally organized government and acts as a symbolic head of state, often with limited or no political power. The monarch's authority is typically bound by a constitution or legal framework, and they may have restricted law-making capabilities.

For example, after the 1789 Revolution in France, the French people transformed their absolute monarchy into a constitutional monarchy. The First Constitution, enacted in 1791, expressly removed sovereignty from the king by requiring him to swear an oath of allegiance to the nation and to uphold the law and the Constitution. This oath signified that the king had no sovereignty under Bodin's definition because he was subject to the laws of the nation and the Constitution, rather than possessing the absolute and undivided power that Bodin ascribed to sovereignty.

Similarly, when the German Empire (the Second Reich) was established in 1871 as a constitutional monarchy, Emperor William I did not possess sovereignty under Bodin's definition. The 1871 Constitution did not grant sovereignty to the Emperor and instead vested legislative power in the Federal Council and the Imperial Diet. Thus, the Emperor lacked the exclusive law-making power that Bodin considered a defining characteristic of sovereignty.

In modern constitutional monarchies, such as the United Kingdom, Norway, Japan, and Thailand, the monarch's role is largely ceremonial, and they do not possess executive or policy-making power. While they may hold formal authority and perform representative functions, the monarch's power is constrained by constitutional principles or conventions, and they do not possess the absolute sovereignty described by Bodin.

Constitutional monarchies can be crowned republics

The term "crowned republic" is an informal one, and there is no set definition for its meaning. It is used to describe a system of monarchy where the monarch's role is largely ceremonial and they have little power over executive and constitutional issues. The term has been used by a small number of authors to describe governments such as those of the United Kingdom, Australia, Norway, and Canada, which are usually classed as constitutional monarchies.

Constitutional monarchy, also known as limited monarchy, parliamentary monarchy, or democratic 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. In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch acts as a symbolic and civic head of state, and their role is often ceremonial. The constitution usually balances the monarch's power with a legislative body, which is typically elected.

The United Kingdom, for example, is a constitutional monarchy where the monarch has substantial, if limited, legislative and executive powers. The monarch's role is by convention effectively ceremonial, and they are bound to act on the advice of the government. The British Parliament and Government exercise their powers under "royal (or Crown) prerogative", and the monarch is bound by constitutional convention to act on the advice of the government.

Australia has also been described as a crowned republic by the Australian Republic Advisory Committee, which stated that "it may be appropriate to regard Australia as a crowned republic" as it is "a state in which sovereignty resides in its people, and in which all public offices, except that at the very apex of the system, are filled by persons deriving their authority directly or indirectly from the people".

Canada, too, has been referred to as a crowned republic by some, although others disagree, considering themselves to be a constitutional monarchy and identifying strongly with this form of government.

Therefore, it can be argued that constitutional monarchies can be crowned republics, depending on one's perspective and the specific powers held by the monarch in a given country. The term "crowned republic" is vague and subject to interpretation, and so the same country can be viewed as either a constitutional monarchy or a crowned republic.

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