Malcolm Rivera
A constitutional monarchy is a system of government in which a monarch acts as head of state, but their powers are limited by a constitution. The monarch may be the ceremonial leader or the de facto head of state, but the actual governing is done by elected representatives. The oldest constitutional monarchy was that of the Hittites, an ancient Anatolian people who lived during the Bronze Age and whose king shared authority with an assembly. Today, constitutional monarchies include the United Kingdom, Belgium, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, and Japan.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Form of government | Representative government |
| Powers of the monarch | Limited by a constitution |
| Governing power | Lies in the hands of elected representatives |
| Head of state | King or queen |
| Type of ruler | Mostly ceremonial |
| Role of the monarch | Symbolic functions, representing the country on the global stage |
| Actual governing | Done by elected representatives |
| Examples | United Kingdom, Australia, Belgium, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, Japan |
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What You'll Learn
- Constitutional monarchy is a form of government in which a monarch shares power with a constitutionally organised government
- The monarch may be the head of state but does not rule
- The monarch's powers are limited and constrained by a constitution
- The oldest constitutional monarchy was that of the Hittites
- Examples of constitutional monarchies include the UK, Norway, Spain, and Japan
Constitutional monarchy is a form of government in which a monarch shares power with a constitutionally organised government
A constitutional monarchy is a system of government in which a monarch shares power with a constitutionally organised government. The monarch may be the de facto head of state or a purely ceremonial leader, with the constitution allocating the rest of the government's power to the legislature and judiciary.
Constitutional monarchies differ from absolute monarchies, in which the monarch is the sole decision-maker. In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch's powers are limited and constrained by a constitution, which outlines the rights and responsibilities of the monarch and establishes the rules for governing the country. The monarch typically has a ceremonial role, representing the country on the global stage and performing symbolic functions, while the actual governing is done by elected representatives.
The oldest constitutional monarchy dating back to ancient times was that of the Hittites. The king had to share his authority with an assembly, called the Panku, which was the equivalent of a modern-day legislature. In the Kingdom of England, the Glorious Revolution of 1688 furthered the constitutional monarchy, restricted by laws such as the Bill of Rights 1689 and the Act of Settlement 1701, although the first form of the constitution was enacted with the Magna Carta of 1215.
Constitutional monarchies can be found in countries such as the United Kingdom, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Spain, Japan, and Thailand. The British Monarchy is a well-known example of a constitutional monarchy, where the Sovereign is the Head of State, but the ability to make and pass legislation resides with the elected Parliament.
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The monarch may be the head of state but does not rule
A constitutional monarchy is a system of government in which a monarch acts as the head of state, but their powers are limited and constrained by a constitution. The monarch may hold formal authority and the government may operate in their name, but they do not personally set public policy or choose political leaders. The ability to make and pass legislation resides with an elected parliament.
In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch typically has a ceremonial role, serving as a symbol or figurehead of the nation. They represent the country on the global stage and perform symbolic functions, while the actual governing is done by elected representatives. The constitution outlines the rights and responsibilities of the monarch and establishes the rules for governing the country.
The monarch in a constitutional monarchy may have certain formal powers, such as dissolving parliament or giving royal assent to legislation. However, these powers are generally exercised in accordance with constitutional principles or conventions, rather than any personal political preferences. The political scientist Vernon Bogdanor defined a constitutional monarch as "a sovereign who reigns but does not rule".
Constitutional monarchies differ from absolute monarchies, in which the monarch is the sole decision-maker and possesses all the power. In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch shares power with a constitutionally organized government, and their authority is subject to the limits prescribed by an established legal framework.
Examples of constitutional monarchies include the United Kingdom, Belgium, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and Thailand.
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The monarch's powers are limited and constrained by a constitution
A constitutional monarchy is a form of government where a monarch acts as the head of state, but their powers are limited and constrained by a constitution. The constitution outlines the rights and responsibilities of the monarch, as well as the rules for governing the country. The monarch typically has a ceremonial role, representing the country and performing symbolic functions, while the actual governing is done by elected representatives.
In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch's role is often described as a "figurehead" or a "symbol" of national unity. While they may hold formal authority and be the de facto head of state, they do not have unlimited power. The monarch's ability to make and pass legislation is restricted, and they do not personally set public policy or choose political leaders. Instead, they act within the parameters set by the constitution and may have specific powers granted to them, such as dissolving parliament or giving royal assent to legislation. These powers are generally exercised in accordance with written constitutional principles or unwritten constitutional conventions, rather than any personal political preferences.
The distinction between the powers of the monarch and the government can vary between different constitutional monarchies. For example, in countries like Liechtenstein, Monaco, Morocco, and Jordan, the constitution grants substantial discretionary powers to the sovereign. On the other hand, in countries like the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Spain, and Norway, the monarch retains significantly less personal discretion in the exercise of their authority. In some cases, liberal democracies may restrain monarchic power in practice rather than through written law.
Constitutional monarchies differ from absolute monarchies, where the monarch is the sole decision-maker and has unlimited power. In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch's powers are limited by the constitution, and they share decision-making power with a constitutionally organized government, which includes the legislature and judiciary. This system allows for a balance of power and ensures that the monarch's authority is constrained within the framework established by the constitution.
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The oldest constitutional monarchy was that of the Hittites
The Hittites were an ancient Anatolian people who lived during the Bronze Age. They are often credited as the world's first constitutional monarchy. The history of the Hittite civilization is known mostly from cuneiform texts found in their former territories, and from diplomatic and commercial correspondence found in the various archives of Assyria, Babylonia, Egypt, and the broader Middle East.
The Hittite monarchy was headed by a king, who was the supreme ruler of the land, in charge of being a military commander, judicial authority, and a high priest. However, the king had to share his authority with an assembly called the Panku, which was made up of nobles. The Panku served as an advisory council for the king and also as a high court for constitutional crimes. While the king had the final word in the decision-making process, the existence of the Panku limited the king's power and thus created a form of constitutional monarchy.
The transition to a constitutional monarchy occurred during the change from the Old to the New Kingdom, likely around 1400 BC. During the Old Kingdom, the Hittite kingship was marked by political instability due to a lack of centralized power and fixed succession laws, which led to rivalries between different branches of the royal family. King Telipinu, who reigned during this period, sought to address these issues by issuing the Edict of Telipinus, which established the Panku and regulated royal succession.
The establishment of the Panku proved to be successful and lasted through the end of the New Kingdom. The Hittites' form of government, with a monarch constrained by a constitution, set a precedent for future kingdoms and modern-day constitutional monarchies.
In summary, the Hittites are considered the oldest constitutional monarchy due to their unique structure of having a king who shared power with a noble assembly, thus limiting the absolute power of the monarch. This form of government differed from the typical ancient model of a ruler holding all authority, and instead established a system of checks and balances that would later be adopted and refined by other nations.
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Examples of constitutional monarchies include the UK, Norway, Spain, and Japan
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.
The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, in which a hereditary monarch reigns as the head of state, with their powers regulated by the British constitution. The monarch's role is largely limited to non-partisan functions, such as granting honours, and they must ultimately accept the decisions of the prime minister and Cabinet. The current monarch is King Charles III, who ascended the throne on the death of Queen Elizabeth II, his mother, on 8 September 2022.
Norway is also a constitutional monarchy, with the King as the formal head of state, but his duties are mainly representative and ceremonial. The legislative and executive powers lie with the country's elected bodies. The current heir to the throne is Crown Prince Haakon, followed by Princess Ingrid Alexandra.
Spain is a constitutional monarchy, with the monarchy referred to as "The Crown" in the Spanish Constitution of 1978. The monarch is the head of state and the commander-in-chief of the Spanish Armed Forces, and the current monarch is King Felipe VI. The Spanish Constitution of 1978 re-established a constitutional monarchy as the form of government for Spain after the end of Francisco Franco's dictatorship and the restoration of democracy in 1977.
Japan is a constitutional monarchy, with the emperor as the principal symbol of the state. The current emperor is Naruhito, who succeeded his father, Akihito, in 2019. Akihito was the first emperor to abdicate, marking the first time such a transfer of power has occurred.
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Frequently asked questions
A constitutional monarchy is a system of government in which a country is ruled by a king or queen whose power is limited by a constitution.
There are two main types of constitutional monarchy: executive and ceremonial. In executive monarchies (also called semi-constitutional monarchies), the monarch wields significant (though not absolute) power. In ceremonial monarchies, the monarch holds little to no political power but often has a great deal of social and cultural influence.
Examples of constitutional monarchies include the United Kingdom, Canada, Belgium, Cambodia, Jordan, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and Thailand.
The role of the monarch varies depending on the country but often includes functions such as appointing ministers, representing the country internationally, and approving laws. The monarch is typically the head of state and is above politics, acting as a non-partisan figure.
In an absolute monarchy, the monarch has unchecked power and rules the nation directly. In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch's power is limited by the constitution and they often serve as a figurehead or ceremonial leader.
