Simone Lawson
A constitutional monarchy is a form of government in which a monarch acts as head of state, but their powers are restricted by a constitution. The monarch may be the de facto head of state or a ceremonial figurehead, with their role varying from mainly representative and civic duties to wielding significant power, albeit not absolute. The monarch's role is often symbolic, providing a sense of national identity, unity, and continuity. The extent of the monarch's power depends on tradition, precedent, popular opinion, and law. While some constitutional monarchies, such as the United Kingdom and Australia, have been referred to as crowned republics, others, like Morocco, Qatar, and Liechtenstein, have monarchs with significant political influence.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of monarchy | Constitutional monarchy, also known as limited monarchy, parliamentary monarchy, democratic monarchy, crowned republic |
| Powers of the monarch | Limited by a constitution |
| Monarch's role | Head of state, head of the nation, symbolic leader, representative, ceremonial |
| Monarch's powers | Granting pardons, granting honours, reserve powers (e.g. dismissing the prime minister, refusing to dissolve parliament, vetoing legislation) |
| Monarch's influence | Social, cultural, national unity and stability |
| Monarch's functions | Appointing the prime minister and other ministers, opening new sessions of parliament, giving royal assent to bills |
| Monarch's relationship with government | Bound by constitutional convention to act on the advice of the government |
| Examples | United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Belgium, Cambodia, Jordan, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Morocco, Qatar, Thailand |
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What You'll Learn
The role of the monarch
A constitutional monarchy is a form of government where a monarch shares power with a constitutionally organized government. The monarch is typically the head of state, but their power is subject to a constitution and they do not have an executive role. The monarch's role is largely ceremonial and symbolic, providing a sense of national unity, identity, and continuity. They act as the figurehead of the nation and are non-partisan.
The monarch's powers and responsibilities are established and limited by the constitution and other laws. While they do not have political or executive power, they may have some unique legal and ceremonial roles, such as granting royal assent to bills passed by parliament, signifying that they have become law. They also appoint the Prime Minister and other ministers, open new sessions of parliament, and make various other appointments, always acting on the advice of the government. The monarch is supported in their duties by their immediate family, who also carry out public engagements.
In some countries with a constitutional monarchy, like Morocco, Qatar, Liechtenstein, and Thailand, the hereditary monarch has more political influence than any other single source of authority in the state, even if their power is limited by a constitution. These are known as executive monarchies or semi-constitutional monarchies. In other countries, like the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada, the monarchy has very limited powers and is referred to as a crowned republic.
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The role of the government
In a constitutional monarchy, the government's power is shared with the monarch, who is typically the head of state. The monarch's power is subject to a constitution and is often limited or ceremonial, with the real ruling power resting with the government. The constitution allocates the government's power to the legislature and judiciary, ensuring a balance of power. The monarch may have some executive, legislative, and judicial functions, but their role is mainly symbolic and representative. They embody the national character and provide stability and continuity.
In countries like the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada, the monarch has a limited role in the day-to-day governing of the country. They have important ceremonial and representative duties, such as appointing the Prime Minister and other ministers, opening new sessions of parliament, and providing royal assent to bills passed by parliament. The monarch also acts as the head of the nation, promoting national identity, unity, and pride. They recognise success and excellence and support voluntary service.
The government, led by the Prime Minister, makes the key political decisions and governs the country. They are responsible for the country's domestic and foreign policies and represent the country on the international stage. The Prime Minister and other ministers are accountable to the legislature, which is elected by the people, ensuring democratic principles are upheld.
In some constitutional monarchies, like Liechtenstein and Monaco, the ruling monarchs wield significant executive power. However, even in these cases, they are not absolute monarchs and their power is limited by the constitution and the elected parliament. These countries are generally considered liberal democracies due to the presence of other democratic institutions and the limited de facto power of the monarch.
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The difference between absolute and constitutional monarchy
A constitutional monarchy, also known as a limited, parliamentary, or democratic monarchy, is a form of monarchy in which the monarch's authority is derived from and limited by a constitution. The monarch does not rule alone and shares power with an elected parliament or assembly. The monarch in a constitutional monarchy is typically a hereditary symbolic head of state who performs representative and civic roles, embodying the national character and providing stability and continuity. They have little to no executive or policy-making power and are often obliged to act on the advice of the government. Examples of constitutional monarchies include the United Kingdom, Spain, Norway, Japan, Thailand, and Liechtenstein.
On the other hand, an absolute monarchy is a form of monarchy in which the monarch holds supreme power and is the sole decision-maker. The monarch in an absolute monarchy rules as a dictator and has absolute authority over the nation, with no legal or constitutional limits on their power. They have complete control over the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the government. In an absolute monarchy, the monarch is not bound by a constitution and can make and enforce laws without the consent or input of any other body. Examples of absolute monarchies include Saudi Arabia, Brunei, and Eswatini.
The main difference between absolute and constitutional monarchy lies in the extent of the monarch's power and the presence or absence of a constitution that limits that power. In an absolute monarchy, the monarch wields supreme power and rules without any legal or constitutional restraints, whereas in a constitutional monarchy, the monarch's authority is derived from and limited by a constitution, and they share power with an elected body.
While a constitutional monarchy has a monarch who is primarily a symbolic and ceremonial figurehead, an absolute monarchy has a monarch who actively rules and makes decisions without any checks on their power. The monarch in a constitutional monarchy is bound by established legal and political conventions and often acts on the advice of a democratically elected government, whereas the absolute monarch is unconstrained and makes decisions independently.
Furthermore, a constitutional monarchy often has a system of checks and balances, with the monarch's power being balanced by that of an elected parliament or assembly. The monarch may have some reserve powers, but their primary role is to embody the nation and provide stability and continuity. In contrast, an absolute monarchy lacks these checks and balances, and the monarch holds all the power, often ruling as a dictator.
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The history of constitutional monarchy
The constitutional monarchy, also known as limited monarchy, parliamentary monarchy, or democratic monarchy, is a form 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 oldest constitutional monarchy dating back to ancient times was that of the Hittites, an ancient Anatolian people who lived during the Bronze Age and whose king shared authority with an assembly.
The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, formed in 1569, operated much like many modern European constitutional monarchies, with a king who was elected and had the duty of maintaining the people's rights. Poland developed the first constitution for a monarchy in continental Europe in 1791, the second single-document constitution in the world. The Estates General of 1789 in France transitioned to a constitutional monarchy with the French Constitution of 1791, but this system was short-lived, ending in 1792 with the establishment of the French First Republic.
In the modern world, there are at least two types of constitutional monarchies: executive and ceremonial. In executive monarchies, also called semi-constitutional monarchies, the monarch wields significant power, while in ceremonial monarchies, the monarch holds little or no political influence. Examples of countries with executive monarchies include Liechtenstein and Monaco, where the ruling monarchs have significant executive power, although they are not absolute monarchs and have limited de facto power compared to Islamic monarchs. Examples of countries with ceremonial monarchies include the United Kingdom and Australia, which have been referred to as "crowned republics".
Other countries that have constitutional monarchies include Belgium, Cambodia, Jordan, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, and Vietnam (from 1949 to 1955).
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Examples of constitutional monarchies
A constitutional monarchy, also known as a 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. Constitutional monarchies differ from absolute monarchies, where the monarch is the only decision-maker, as the former is bound to exercise their powers and authorities within the limits prescribed by an established legal framework.
United Kingdom
The British Monarchy, also known as the United Kingdom, is a constitutional monarchy. While the Sovereign, currently King Charles III, is the Head of State, the ability to make and pass legislation resides with an elected Parliament. The monarch has a ceremonial role and performs constitutional and representative duties, acting as a focus for national identity, unity, and pride. The UK is an example of a strongly limited constitutional monarchy, sometimes referred to as a crowned republic.
Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark
These European countries are leading contemporary examples of constitutional monarchies, where a legacy of political bargaining has led to the gradual transfer of authority from the monarch to various societal groups. While the monarch remains the head of state and the emblem of state authority, they waive actual political power, which is assumed by elected politicians, and the political process follows democratic procedures.
Liechtenstein and Monaco
These small states have ruling monarchs who wield significant executive power. However, they are not absolute monarchs and have limited de facto power compared to Islamic monarchs. Therefore, their countries are generally considered liberal democracies rather than undemocratic.
Japan and Thailand
These two Asian countries are the most populous constitutional monarchies in the world. In these countries, the prime minister handles the day-to-day powers of governance, while the monarch retains residual powers that are not always insignificant. While the monarch is the nominal chief executive, they are bound by convention to act on the advice of the Cabinet.
Malaysia and Cambodia
Malaysia and Cambodia are elective constitutional monarchies, where the ruler is periodically selected by a small electoral college.
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Frequently asked questions
In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch is the head of state but their power is subject to a constitution. The monarch shares power with a constitutionally organized government and is not the only decision-maker.
The monarch's role is largely ceremonial and symbolic. They are a figurehead and symbol of national unity and state continuity. They perform constitutional and representational duties, such as appointing the Prime Minister and other ministers, opening new sessions of parliament, and granting royal assent to bills passed by parliament. The monarch also acts as the ''Head of Nation', embodying the national character and providing constitutional continuity in times of emergency.
In an absolute monarchy, the monarch is the only decision-maker and has absolute power over the state and government. They rule as an autocrat, with powers such as the right to rule by decree, promulgate laws, and impose punishments. In contrast, a constitutional monarchy is subject to a constitution and the monarch's powers are limited.
Some examples of constitutional monarchies include the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Belgium, Cambodia, Jordan, Liechtenstein, Monaco, and Thailand.
