Constitutional Monarchy: A Democratic Contradiction Explained

A constitutional monarchy is a system of government in which a country is ruled by a king or queen, but their power is limited by a constitution and an elected parliament. The monarch may be the head of state, but the ability to make and pass legislation resides with the elected parliament. The monarch may hold executive power or be a purely ceremonial leader. Constitutional monarchies include the UK, Belgium, Cambodia, Jordan, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and Thailand.

Explore related products

The Royalist Revolution: Monarchy and the American Founding

$26 $26

The Role of Monarchy in Modern Democracy: European Monarchies Compared (Hart Studies in Comparative Public Law)

$42.39 $44.95

Coronation: A History of the British Monarchy

$15.9 $34.99

The Monarchy and the Constitution

$78 $78

Constitutional Monarchy of the Twenty-First Century

$125.45 $159

The Canadian Kingdom: 150 Years of Constitutional Monarchy

$12.99 $25

The monarch's role

A constitutional monarchy is a system of government in which a monarch shares power with a constitutionally organized government. The monarch's role can vary depending on the country and its constitution, ranging from being a de facto head of state to a purely ceremonial leader.

In some countries with constitutional monarchies, like Liechtenstein and Monaco, the ruling monarchs wield significant executive power. While they are not absolute monarchs, they still possess substantial powers that can be exercised under certain circumstances. For example, the Thai monarch is recognized as the Head of State, Head of the Armed Forces, Upholder of the Buddhist Religion, and Defender of the Faith, and plays an influential role in politics.

In other countries, like the United Kingdom and Australia, the monarchy is considered to have a more ceremonial role, often referred to as "crowned republics." The monarch in these cases is bound by constitutional convention to act on the advice of the government and primarily performs representative and civic roles. While they may have certain reserve powers, they do not directly exercise executive or policy-making power.

The British political theorist Walter Bagehot identified three main political rights that a constitutional monarch may freely exercise: the right to be consulted, the right to encourage, and the right to warn. This reflects the idea that while constitutional monarchs may have limited powers, they still embody the national character and provide constitutional continuity.

Power dynamics

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 powers to the legislature and judiciary.

Monarchs in constitutional monarchies possess limited powers and are subject to the constitution and elected bodies like parliament. While they may have a range of important functions, such as appointing ministers, these are often ceremonial or symbolic, and the monarch's role is largely to embody the national character and provide stability and continuity. The monarch's power is further checked by the fact that they are bound by constitutional convention to act on the advice of the government.

In some constitutional monarchies, like Liechtenstein and Monaco, the ruling monarchs wield significant executive power, though they are not absolute monarchs and are still limited by the constitution and elected bodies. These are known as executive or semi-constitutional monarchies. In contrast, in ceremonial monarchies, the monarch holds little or no actual power or direct political influence, though they often have significant social and cultural influence. The UK and Australia are examples of strongly limited constitutional monarchies, sometimes referred to as "crowned republics".

The existence of constitutional monarchies is often seen as unusual in democracies, as the head of state is not directly elected and cannot be removed by the public. Constitutional monarchies have resolved this tension by subjecting the hereditary heads of state to rules and principles that ensure they act in accordance with democratic ideals.

The power dynamics between the monarch and the government can vary depending on the specific country and its constitution. For example, the contemporary UK constitutional monarch, King Charles III, possesses the ultimate legal responsibility for crucial functions like appointing and removing the Prime Minister, dissolving Parliament, approving important laws, and acting as head of the armed forces and the official church. These powers are extensive but are largely ceremonial, and the monarch is still subject to the will of the democratically elected government and parliament.

Democracy

A constitutional monarchy is a system of government in which a monarch acts as head of state, but their power is limited by a constitution and the elected parliament. The constitution allocates the rest of the government's power to the legislature and judiciary. In some constitutional monarchies, the monarch may be the de facto head of state or a purely ceremonial leader.

The United Kingdom is an example of a democratic constitutional monarchy. While the sovereign is the head of state, they do not have a political or executive role and do not have the power to make and pass legislation—that power resides with the elected parliament. The monarch has a symbolic significance and is commonly identified as the head of various institutions within the state. They have important constitutional and representational duties, acting as a focus for national identity, unity, and pride, and giving a sense of stability and continuity.

In a democracy, the government is chosen by and is accountable to the people. In some countries, such as France and the United States, the process of becoming more democratic involved removing the monarchy and becoming a republic with an elected head of state. However, other countries have developed democracy while retaining their monarchs, subjecting them to rules that ensure they act in accordance with democratic principles.

There are at least two types of constitutional monarchies in the modern world: executive and ceremonial. In executive monarchies (also known as semi-constitutional monarchies), the monarch wields significant power, although not absolute. In ceremonial monarchies, the monarch holds little or no political power but often has a great deal of social and cultural influence.

Some constitutional monarchies, such as Liechtenstein and Monaco, are considered liberal democracies rather than undemocratic because, although the ruling monarchs have significant executive power, they are not absolute monarchs and their power is limited by the constitution and elected parliament.

Explore related products

The Monarchy According to the Charter

$33.95

Canada's Constitutional Monarchy: An Introduction to Our Form of Government

$8.99 $32.99

Timeline of the British Monarchy

$20.79 $25.99

Modern Monarchy: The British Royal Family Today

$43.53

A History of England 1689-1837

$1.99 $22.99

A History of England, Period III

$109.9

Historical context

The concept of a constitutional monarchy has evolved over time, with the oldest example dating back to ancient times with the Hittites. The Hittites were an ancient Anatolian people who lived during the Bronze Age, and their king shared authority with an assembly called the Panku, which was equivalent to a modern-day legislature.

In the context of European history, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, formed after the Union of Lublin in 1569, operated much like many modern European constitutional monarchies. The Commonwealth had a bicameral parliament and a collection of entrenched legal documents amounting to a constitution. However, the legislators of the unified state did not see it as a monarchy but as a republic under the presidency of the King. Poland later developed the first constitution for a monarchy in continental Europe with the Constitution of 3 May 1791.

The French Revolution also witnessed a brief transition to a constitutional monarchy with the promulgation of the French Constitution of 1791. This first French constitutional monarchy ended with the overthrow of the monarchy and the establishment of the French First Republic in 1792. Several years later, Napoleon Bonaparte proclaimed himself Emperor of the French in what was ostensibly a constitutional monarchy, though modern historians often characterise his reign as an absolute monarchy.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, several countries experimented with constitutional monarchies. For example, the Anglo-Corsican Kingdom (1794-1796) was an independent kingdom under George III of the United Kingdom, with its own elected parliament and a written constitution. Portugal was a constitutional monarchy from 1822 to 1828 and again from 1834 to 1910. Brazil was also a constitutional monarchy from its proclamation of independence in 1822 until 1889, when Pedro II was deposed by a military coup. The Hashemite Kingdom of Iraq was a constitutional monarchy until 1958, when King Faisal II was deposed in a military coup.

In the modern era, there are at least two types of constitutional monarchies: executive and ceremonial. In executive monarchies (also known as semi-constitutional monarchies), the monarch wields significant power, although not absolute. In contrast, ceremonial monarchies greatly limit the power of the monarch, who holds little to no actual power but may still have substantial social and cultural influence. Examples of modern constitutional monarchies include the United Kingdom, Belgium, Cambodia, Jordan, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, and Canada.

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 rest of the government’s power to the legislature and judiciary.

There are two types of constitutional monarchies in the modern world: executive and ceremonial. In executive monarchies (also called semi-constitutional monarchies), the monarch wields significant (but not absolute) power. By contrast, in ceremonial monarchies, the monarch holds little or no actual power or direct political influence, though they frequently still have a great deal of social and cultural influence.

Some examples of constitutional monarchies include:

• The United Kingdom: The UK is a strongly limited constitutional monarchy, referred to by some as a crowned republic. The monarch is the nominal chief executive but is bound by convention to act on the advice of the Cabinet.
• Belgium: Belgium is another example of a constitutional monarchy, with the monarch formally appointing a representative to preside over the creation of a coalition government following a parliamentary election.
• Norway: While the King of Norway is the nominal chief executive, he is bound by convention to act on the advice of the Cabinet. Additionally, the King chairs special meetings of the cabinet.
• Japan: Japan is the most populous constitutional monarchy in the world, with the Prime Minister holding the day-to-day powers of governance while the monarch retains residual powers.
• Canada: Canada is a constitutional monarchy, with the monarch as a symbolic head of state.
• Cambodia: Cambodia is an elective constitutional monarchy, with the ruler periodically selected by a small electoral college.
• Jordan: Jordan is another example of a constitutional monarchy, with the monarch as the head of state.

Frequently asked questions