Simone Lawson
A constitutional monarchy is a system of government in which a monarch such as a king or queen shares power with a constitutionally organized government. The monarch may be the de facto head of state or a ceremonial leader. The oldest constitutional monarchy was that of the Hittites, an ancient Anatolian people who lived during the Bronze Age and whose king shared power with an assembly. Constitutional monarchies differ from absolute monarchies in that the former are bound to exercise their powers within limits prescribed by an established legal framework.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Form of monarchy | Constitutional monarchy, limited monarchy, parliamentary monarchy or democratic monarchy |
| Powers | Powers and authorities within limits prescribed by an established legal framework |
| Decision-making | The monarch does not make decisions alone |
| Head of state | May be the de facto head of state or a purely ceremonial leader |
| Government power | The constitution allocates the rest of the government’s power to the legislature and judiciary |
| Sovereignty | The monarch is sovereign but does not rule |
| Political power | Political power is shared between the monarch and a constitutional government, such as parliament |
| Executive power | Executive power is divided |
| Legislative power | Most power is held by a legislature |
| Monarch's role | The monarch may serve as the symbolic ruler of the nation |
| Governing power | The actual power to govern lies with the head of government, often a prime minister |
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What You'll Learn
Examples of constitutional monarchies
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 government's power to the legislature and judiciary.
Constitutional monarchies range from countries where the constitution grants substantial discretionary powers to the sovereign, to countries where the monarch retains significantly less, if any, personal discretion in the exercise of their authority.
Some examples of constitutional monarchies with substantial discretionary powers granted to the sovereign include:
- Liechtenstein
- Monaco
- Morocco
- Jordan
- Kuwait
- Bahrain
- Bhutan
Some examples of constitutional monarchies where the monarch retains less personal discretion include:
- United Kingdom
- Norway
- Sweden
- Denmark
- Netherlands
- Spain
- Belgium
- Japan
- Thailand
- Cambodia
The oldest constitutional monarchy dating back to ancient times was that of the Hittites. They were an ancient Anatolian people during the Bronze Age whose king had to share his authority with an assembly called the Panku, which was the equivalent of a modern-day legislature.
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The role of the monarch
A constitutional monarchy is a system of government in which a monarch such as a king or queen 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.
In most constitutional monarchies, most of the power is held by a legislature, and executive power is also divided. The monarch may serve as the head of state and the symbolic ruler of the nation, but the actual power to govern lies with the head of government, often called a prime minister. The monarch 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 any personal political preferences.
The UK, for example, is a constitutional monarchy with the monarch having the ability to appoint a prime minister, proclaim laws, and handle foreign relations. However, real power is held in Parliament, and the monarch does not exercise executive or policy-making power. Some constitutional monarchies, such as Malaysia and Cambodia, are elective monarchies, where the ruler is periodically selected by a small electoral college.
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The history of constitutional monarchy
A constitutional monarchy is a system of government in which a monarch acts as head of state, but the power to govern lies with a constitutionally organized government, such as a parliament. The monarch's role is largely ceremonial, and they may hold some formal powers, such as dissolving parliament or giving royal assent to legislation, but these are usually exercised within the limits of a constitution. Constitutional monarchies differ from absolute monarchies, in which the monarch holds total power and rules without a constitution.
Another early example of a constitutional monarchy was the Kingdom of Cyrene, which was established around 548 BC by Demonax for King Battus III the Lame. In the West, the concept of constitutional monarchy began to emerge after the signing of the Magna Carta in 1215, which restricted the power of the monarch and established certain rights for the people. The Kingdom of England further developed its constitutional monarchy during the Glorious Revolution of 1688, which was followed by laws such as the Bill of Rights (1689) and the Act of Settlement (1701).
In the late 18th century, several countries transitioned to constitutional monarchies, including the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (1791), the Anglo-Corsican Kingdom (1794-1796), and France (1791-1792). The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth operated as a republic under the presidency of a king, with a bicameral parliament and a collection of legal documents amounting to a constitution. The Anglo-Corsican Kingdom, which was an independent kingdom under George III of the United Kingdom, had its own elected parliament and a written constitution guaranteeing local autonomy and democratic rights. France's first constitutional monarchy was short-lived, ending with the overthrow of the monarchy and the establishment of the French First Republic in 1792.
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, several countries became constitutional monarchies, including the Empire of Brazil (1822-1889), Portugal (1822-1828 and 1834-1910), and the Hashemite Kingdom of Iraq (until 1958). Brazil's constitutional monarchy was established by Pedro I and ended when Pedro II was deposed by a military coup. Portugal's constitutional monarchy was also ended by a military coup in 1910, while the Hashemite Kingdom of Iraq transitioned to a republic after a military coup in 1958.
Today, there are 43 constitutional monarchies in the world, and they range in the level of power granted to the monarch. Some countries, like Liechtenstein, Monaco, and Morocco, grant substantial discretionary powers to the sovereign. In other countries, like the United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden, and Japan, the monarch retains significantly less personal discretion in the exercise of their authority, and real governmental power is held by a parliament or similar legislative body led by a prime minister.
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How constitutional monarchy differs from absolute monarchy
A constitutional monarchy is a system of government in which a monarch recognises their power is limited by a national constitution. In most constitutional monarchies, the majority of power is held by a legislature, such as the British Parliament or Japanese Diet.
Constitutional monarchies differ from absolute monarchies in several ways. In an absolute monarchy, the king or queen holds all the power and is the only decision-maker. They believe in the divine right to rule and that they are representatives of God, only answering to God and not their subjects.
In contrast, constitutional monarchies are bound to exercise their powers and authorities within the limits prescribed by an established legal framework. The monarch may be the de facto head of state or a ceremonial leader, but the constitution allocates the rest of the government's power to the legislature and judiciary.
Constitutional monarchies range from countries such as Liechtenstein, Monaco, Morocco, Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain, where the constitution grants substantial discretionary powers to the sovereign, to countries such as the United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden, and Japan, where the monarch retains significantly less, if any, personal discretion in the exercise of their authority.
While a constitutional monarch may hold formal powers such as dissolving parliament or giving royal assent to legislation, these powers are generally exercised in accordance with written constitutional principles rather than any personal political preferences. The monarch acts as a symbol of national unity and performs representative and civic roles but does not exercise executive or policy-making power.
The oldest constitutional monarchy was that of the Hittites, an ancient Anatolian people who lived during the Bronze Age. Their king had to share his authority with an assembly called the Panku, which was equivalent to a modern-day legislature.
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The future of constitutional monarchy
A constitutional monarchy is a system of government in which a monarch shares power with a constitutionally organized government. The monarch may be the head of state or a ceremonial leader, but their power is limited by a national constitution. Constitutional monarchies differ from absolute monarchies, where the monarch is the sole decision-maker, as the former operates within a framework of established laws and conventions.
One possible direction for the future of constitutional monarchies is a further reduction in the powers of the monarch. This evolution is already evident in some countries with constitutional monarchies, such as the United Kingdom, where the monarch has substantial but limited powers. The monarch's role in these nations is largely ceremonial and non-partisan, acting as a symbol of national unity and performing representative functions. The actual power to govern lies with a democratically elected head of government, such as a prime minister, who is accountable to the people.
Another possibility is the emergence of more semi-constitutional monarchies, where the monarch retains significant powers on par with a president in a presidential or semi-presidential system. This model is observed in some constitutional monarchies, like Malaysia and Cambodia, which are elective monarchies with rulers chosen by a small electoral college. However, it is worth noting that these nations are exceptions to the general trend of limiting monarchical powers.
In conclusion, the future of constitutional monarchy is likely to be shaped by a balance between tradition and modernity. While some nations may choose to transition to republican forms of government, others may opt to retain the monarchy while further limiting its powers. The specific trajectory will depend on various factors, including historical context, cultural values, and the unique political landscape of each country.
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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.
In a constitutional monarchy, the power of the monarch is limited by a constitution, whereas in an absolute monarchy, the monarch has total power over the government and the people.
The duties of a constitutional monarch include carrying out constitutional and representational obligations, acting as a symbol of national unity, and ensuring a stable framework for elected officials to operate within.
Some examples of constitutional monarchies include the United Kingdom, Sweden, Japan, Canada, Belgium, Thailand, and Jordan.
