Constitutional monarchies of the world. A constitutional monarchy

Absolute monarchy is a form of government in which all executive, legislative, judicial and military power is concentrated in the hands of the monarch. In this case, the presence of parliament is possible, as well as holding elections to parliament by the residents of the country, but it is only an advisory body to the monarch and cannot go against him in any way.

In the world, in the strict sense, there are only six countries with an absolute monarchy. If we consider it more openly, then a dualistic monarchy can also be equated to an absolute one, and these are six more countries. Thus, there are twelve countries in the world in which power is somehow concentrated in one hand.

Surprisingly, in Europe (so loving to protect human rights and irritated by any dictators) there are already two such countries! But at the same time, it is necessary to distinguish between an absolute and a constitutional monarchy, since there are a lot of kingdoms and principalities in Europe, but most of them are a constitutional monarchy, in which the head of state is the chairman of parliament.

And so, here are these twelve countries with an absolute monarchy:

1. . A small state in the Middle East on the shores of the Persian Gulf. Dualistic monarchy, King Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifa since 2002.

2. (or Brunei for short). State in South-East Asia on the island of Kalimantan. Absolute monarchy, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah since 1967.

3. . The city-state is located entirely in Rome. A theocratic monarchy, the country has been ruled by Pope Francis since 2013.

4. (full name: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan). Located in the Middle East. A dualist monarchy, the country has been ruled by King Abdullah II bin Hussein al-Hashimi since 1999.

5., a state in the Middle East, an absolute monarchy, the country has been ruled by Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani since 2013.

6. . State in the Middle East. A dualist monarchy, the country has been ruled by Emir Sabah al-Ahmed al-Jaber al-Sabah since 2006.

7. (full name: Grand Duchy of Luxembourg). The state is located in the center of Europe. Luxembourg is a dual monarchy and has been ruled by Grand Duke HRH Henri (Henry) since 2000.

8. (full name: Kingdom of Morocco) is a state located in the northwestern part of Africa. A dualist monarchy, the country has been ruled by King Mohammed VI bin al Hassan since 1999.

9. . A state in the Middle East, on the shores of the Persian Gulf. An absolute monarchy, the country has been ruled by President Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan since 2004.

10. (full name: Sultanate of Oman). State on the Arabian Peninsula. An absolute monarchy, the country has been ruled by Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said since 1970.

eleven. . State in the Middle East. An absolute theocratic monarchy, the country has been ruled by King Salman bin Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman al Saud since 2015.

12. . The state is located in southern Africa. A dual monarchy, the country has been ruled by King Mswati III since 1986.

Exist in the modern world? Where on the planet are countries still ruled by kings and sultans? Find answers to these questions in our article. In addition, you will learn what a constitutional monarchy is. You will also find examples of countries with this form of government in this publication.

Basic forms of government in the modern world

To date, two main models are known government controlled: monarchical and republican. Monarchy means a form of government in which power belongs to one person. This could be a king, emperor, emir, prince, sultan, etc. Second distinguishing feature monarchical system - the process of transferring this power by inheritance (and not by the results of popular elections).

Today there are absolute, theocratic and constitutional monarchies. Republics (the second form of government) are more common in the modern world: there are about 70% of them. The republican model of government assumes the election of the supreme authorities - parliament and (or) the president.

The most famous monarchies on the planet: Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, Japan, Kuwait, United United Arab Emirates(UAE). Examples of republican countries: Poland, Russia, France, Mexico, Ukraine. However, in this article we are only interested in countries with constitutional monarchy(you will find a list of these states below).

Monarchy: absolute, theocratic, constitutional

Monarchical countries (there are about 40 of them in the world) are of three types. It can be a theocratic, absolute or constitutional monarchy. Let us briefly consider the features of each of them, and dwell in more detail on the last one.

IN absolute monarchies all power is concentrated in the hands of one person. He makes absolutely all decisions, implementing internal and foreign policy of your country. The clearest example Such a monarchy can be called Saudi Arabia.

In a theocratic monarchy, power belongs to the highest church (spiritual) minister. The only example of such a country is the Vatican, where the Pope is the absolute authority for the population. True, some researchers classify Brunei and even Great Britain as theocratic monarchies. It is no secret that the Queen of England is also the head of the church.

A constitutional monarchy is...

A constitutional monarchy is a model of government in which the power of the monarch is significantly limited.

Sometimes he may be completely deprived of supreme powers. In this case, the monarch is only a formal figure, a kind of symbol of the state (as, for example, in Great Britain).

All these legal restrictions on the power of the monarch, as a rule, are reflected in the constitution of a particular state (hence the name of this form of government).

Types of constitutional monarchy

Modern constitutional monarchies can be parliamentary or dualistic. In the first, the government is formed by the country's parliament, to which it reports. In dualistic constitutional monarchies, ministers are appointed (and removed) by the monarch himself. Parliament retains only the right of some veto.

It is worth noting that the division of countries into republics and monarchies sometimes turns out to be somewhat arbitrary. After all, even in the most democratic states, certain aspects of continuity of power can be observed (the appointment of relatives and friends to important government posts). This applies to Russia, Ukraine and even the USA.

Constitutional monarchy: examples of countries

Today, 31 states in the world can be classified as constitutional monarchies. A third of them are located in Western and Northern Europe. About 80% of all constitutional monarchies in the modern world are parliamentary, and only seven are dualistic.

Below are all countries with a constitutional monarchy (list). The region in which the state is located is indicated in brackets:

Luxembourg (Western Europe).
Liechtenstein (Western Europe).
Principality of Monaco (Western Europe).
Great Britain (Western Europe).
Netherlands (Western Europe).
Belgium (Western Europe).
Denmark (Western Europe).
Norway (Western Europe).
Sweden (Western Europe).
Spain (Western Europe).
Andorra (Western Europe).
Kuwait (Middle East).
UAE (Middle East).
Jordan (Middle East).
Japan (East Asia).
Cambodia (Southeast Asia).
Thailand (Southeast Asia).
Bhutan (Southeast Asia).
Australia (Australia and Oceania).
New Zealand (Australia and Oceania).
Papua New Guinea (Australia and Oceania).
Tonga (Australia and Oceania).
Solomon Islands (Australia and Oceania).
Canada (North America).
Morocco (North Africa).
Lesotho (South Africa).
Grenada (Caribbean region).
Jamaica (Caribbean region).
Saint Lucia (Caribbean region).
Saint Kitts and Nevis (Caribbean region).
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (Caribbean region).

On the map below, all these countries are marked in green.

Is constitutional monarchy the ideal form of government?

There is an opinion that a constitutional monarchy is the key to the stability and well-being of the country. Is it so?

Of course, a constitutional monarchy is not able to automatically solve all the problems that arise before the state. However, it is ready to offer society a certain political stability. Indeed, in such countries there is no constant struggle for power (imaginary or real) a priori.

The constitutional-monarchical model has a number of other advantages. As practice shows, it is in such states that it was possible to build the best social security systems in the world for citizens. And we are talking here not only about the countries of the Scandinavian Peninsula.

You can take, for example, the same countries of the Persian Gulf (UAE, Kuwait). They have much less oil than in Russia. However, over several decades, from poor countries whose population was exclusively engaged in grazing livestock in oases, they were able to turn into successful, prosperous and fully established states.

The most famous constitutional monarchies in the world: Great Britain, Norway, Kuwait

Great Britain is one of the most famous parliamentary monarchies on the planet. The head of state (as well as formally of 15 other Commonwealth countries) is Queen Elizabeth II. However, one should not think that she is a purely symbolic figure. The British Queen has a strong right to dissolve Parliament. In addition, she is the commander-in-chief of the British troops.

The Norwegian king is also the head of his state, according to the Constitution, which has been in force since 1814. To quote this document, Norway is “a free monarchical state with a limited and hereditary form of government.” Moreover, initially the king had broader powers, which were gradually narrowed.

Another parliamentary monarchy since 1962 is Kuwait. The role of the head of state here is played by the emir, who has broad powers: he dissolves parliament, signs laws, appoints the head of government; he also commands the Kuwaiti troops. It is curious that in this amazing country, women are absolutely equal in their political rights with men, which is not at all typical for the states of the Arab world.

Finally

Now you know what a constitutional monarchy is. Examples of countries of this form of government are present on all continents of the planet, except Antarctica. These are the gray-haired wealthy states of old Europe, and the young richest countries of the Middle East.

Can we say that the most optimal form of government in the world is a constitutional monarchy? Examples of countries - successful and highly developed - fully confirm this assumption.

Attention, TODAY only!

Everything interesting

Monarchy, as a form of government, has been dominant throughout much of human history. During its development, it underwent many changes and as a result, several types of monarchy were formed, many of which exist and...

Each historical era characterized by one or another attitude of the population to the top of government and vice versa. Collection of organs state power, their interaction and competencies are determined by the current form of government. Form…

Monarchy is a form of government in which supreme power in the state belongs to one person, called the monarch, and is also inherited. The monarch can be a king, an emperor, a king, a sultan, a duke,...

There are two main forms of government in the modern world: monarchy and republic. There are two types of monarchy: absolute and constitutional. In the first, power belongs entirely to the reigning person or (in the case of a theocratic absolute monarchy) ...

In the modern world, democratic forms of government, such as parliamentary or presidential republics, are widespread. But at the same time, there are forty-one countries where the monarchy has been preserved, and has various shapes. European...

Constitutional monarchy is a type of government. At the same time, the state has independent courts and parliament. The power of the ruler is limited by the constitution. Characteristics of this type of management are the civil list and...

The form of government is a system of supreme bodies of state power. This concept includes the structure of their formation and the order of distribution of powers between them. Monarchy and republic are the main forms of government. The first one is...

Forms of government of a state are a type of public administration system. This concept includes the method of its formation, the duration of this system, rights, as well as the ways in which the elements of government interact with each other and the people. She also determines...

November 5, 2015

What forms of government exist in the modern world? Where on the planet are countries still ruled by kings and sultans? Find answers to these questions in our article. In addition, you will learn what a constitutional monarchy is. You will also find examples of countries with this form of government in this publication.

Basic forms of government in the modern world

Today, there are two main models of government known: monarchical and republican. Monarchy means a form of government in which power belongs to one person. This could be a king, emperor, emir, prince, sultan, etc. The second distinctive feature of the monarchical system is the process of transferring this power by inheritance (and not by the results of popular elections).

The most famous monarchies on the planet: Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, Japan, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Examples of republican countries: Poland, Russia, France, Mexico, Ukraine. However, in this article we are only interested in countries with a constitutional monarchy (you will find a list of these states below).

Monarchy: absolute, theocratic, constitutional

In absolute monarchies, all power is concentrated in the hands of one person. He makes absolutely all decisions, implementing the domestic and foreign policies of his country. The most striking example of such a monarchy is Saudi Arabia.

Video on the topic

A constitutional monarchy is...

A constitutional monarchy is a model of government in which the power of the monarch is significantly limited.

Sometimes he may be completely deprived of supreme powers. In this case, the monarch is only a formal figure, a kind of symbol of the state (as, for example, in Great Britain).

All these legal restrictions on the power of the monarch, as a rule, are reflected in the constitution of a particular state (hence the name of this form of government).

Types of constitutional monarchy

Constitutional monarchy: examples of countries

Below are all countries with a constitutional monarchy (list). The region in which the state is located is indicated in brackets:

Luxembourg (Western Europe).
Liechtenstein (Western Europe).
Principality of Monaco (Western Europe).
Great Britain (Western Europe).
Netherlands (Western Europe).
Belgium (Western Europe).
Denmark (Western Europe).
Norway (Western Europe).
Sweden (Western Europe).
Spain (Western Europe).
Andorra (Western Europe).
Kuwait (Middle East).
UAE (Middle East).
Jordan (Middle East).
Japan (East Asia).
Cambodia (Southeast Asia).
Thailand (Southeast Asia).
Bhutan (Southeast Asia).
Australia (Australia and Oceania).
New Zealand (Australia and Oceania).
Papua New Guinea (Australia and Oceania).
Tonga (Australia and Oceania).
Solomon Islands (Australia and Oceania).
Canada (North America).
Morocco (North Africa).
Lesotho (South Africa).
Grenada (Caribbean region).
Jamaica (Caribbean region).
Saint Lucia (Caribbean region).
Saint Kitts and Nevis (Caribbean region).
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (Caribbean region).

On the map below, all these countries are marked in green.

Is constitutional monarchy the ideal form of government?

There is an opinion that a constitutional monarchy is the key to the stability and well-being of the country. Is it so?

The most famous constitutional monarchies in the world: Great Britain, Norway, Kuwait

Finally

Can we say that the most optimal form of government in the world is a constitutional monarchy? Examples of countries - successful and highly developed - fully confirm this assumption.

It simultaneously combines monarchical and democratic institutions. The degree of their correlation, as well as the level of real power of the crowned head, differs significantly in different countries. Let's find out in more detail what a constitutional monarchy is and what are the features of this form of government.

Essence of the term

Constitutional monarchy is a special type government structure, in which the monarch, although formally considered the head of state, his rights and functions are largely limited by the legislation of the country. Without fail, this restriction must not only be of a legal nature, but also actually applied.

At the same time, it should be noted that there are countries in which the crowned head has fairly high powers, despite restrictions, and states where the role of the monarch is purely nominal. Unlike a republic, a constitutional monarchy is often characterized by a hereditary form of transfer of power, although its actual volume can be reduced to a minimum.

Classification of monarchies

A constitutional monarchy is only one of many forms that a monarchical structure can take. This form of government can be absolute, theocratic (power belongs to the religious head), class-representative, early feudal, ancient eastern, non-hereditary.

Absolute and constitutional monarchies differ mainly in that in the first of them, any decision of the ruler has the force of law, and in the second, the will of the monarch is largely limited by domestic laws and regulations. Therefore, these forms of government are considered largely opposite to each other.

At the same time, within the concept of “constitutional monarchy” there is a division into two groups: dualistic and parliamentary.

Dualistic monarchy

This type of government, such as a dualistic monarchy, implies a significant participation of the crowned person in state affairs. Often the ruler is a full-fledged head of state with most of the ensuing rights and functions, but these are limited to some extent by law.

In such states, the monarch has the right to personally appoint and remove the government of the country. Limitations on the power of the crowned head are most often expressed in a decree that all her orders take legal force only after they are confirmed by the minister of the relevant department. But given that ministers are appointed by the ruler himself, these restrictions are largely formal.

In fact, executive power belongs to the monarch, and legislative power belongs to parliament. At the same time, the ruler can veto any law passed by parliament or dissolve it altogether. The limit on the monarch's power lies in the fact that the aforementioned legislative body approves the budget approved by the crown person or rejects it, but in the latter case risks being dissolved.

Thus, in a dualistic monarchy, the ruler is the legal and de facto head of state, but with limited rights by law.

Parliamentary monarchy

The most limited constitutional monarchy has a parliamentary form. Often in a country with such a government system, the role of the monarch is purely nominal. He is the symbol of the nation and the formal head, but has virtually no actual power. The main function of the crowned head in such countries is representative.

The government is responsible not to the monarch, as is customary in dualistic monarchies, but to parliament. It is formed by the legislative body with the support of the majority of parliamentarians. At the same time, the crowned lady often does not have the right to dissolve parliament, which is elected democratically.

At the same time, some formal functions still remain with the nominal ruler. For example, he often signs decrees appointing ministers chosen by the legislature. In addition, the monarch represents his country abroad, performs ceremonial functions, and at critical moments for the state can even assume full power.

Thus, in a parliamentary form, the monarch has neither legislative nor executive power. The first belongs to parliament, and the second to the government, which is responsible to the legislature. The head of the government is the prime minister or an official equivalent in function. A parliamentary monarchy most often corresponds to a democratic political regime.

The Birth of Constitutionalism

Let's see how this form of government developed over the centuries.

The formation of a constitutional monarchy is associated with the Glorious Revolution in England in 1688. Although before this period there were countries with forms of government in which the power of the king was significantly limited by the feudal elite (Holy Roman Empire, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, etc.), but they did not correspond modern meaning this term. So, in 1688, as a result coup d'etat, the Stuart dynasty that ruled England was removed, and William III of Orange became king. Already on next year he issued a "Bill of Rights", which significantly limited royal power and gave Parliament very large powers. This document marked the beginning of the formation of the current system in Great Britain. political system. The constitutional monarchy in England finally took shape in the 18th century.

Further development

After the Revolution of 1789, a constitutional monarchy was actually introduced in France for some time. But it did not operate for long, until 1793, when the king was deposed and executed. The times of the republic came, and then the Napoleonic empire. After this, constitutional monarchy existed in France during the periods from 1830 to 1848 and from 1852 to 1870.

Sweden and Norway were called constitutional monarchies in 1818, when the Bernadotte dynasty, whose founder was a former Napoleonic general, began to rule there. A similar form of power has been established in the Netherlands since 1815, in Belgium since 1830, and in Denmark since 1849.

In 1867, the Austrian Empire, until then a stronghold of absolutism, was transformed into the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which became a constitutional monarchy. In 1871, the German Empire was formed, which also had a similar form of government. But both states ceased to exist due to defeat in the First World War.

One of the youngest monarchical systems with a constitutional structure is the Spanish one. It arose in 1975, when King Juan Carlos I ascended the throne after the death of dictator Franco.

Constitutionalism in the Russian Empire

Discussions about the possibility of limiting the power of the emperor by the constitution began to be held among leading representatives of the nobility back in early XIX century, during the time of Alexander I. The famous Decembrist uprising of 1825 had as its main goal the abolition of autocracy and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy, but it was suppressed by Nicholas I.

Under the reformer Tsar Alexander II, who abolished serfdom, the authorities began to take certain steps towards limiting autocracy and developing constitutional institutions, but with the assassination of the emperor in 1881, all these initiatives were frozen.

The revolution of 1905 showed that the existing regime in its previous form had outlived its usefulness. Therefore, Emperor Nicholas II gave the go-ahead for the formation of a parliamentary body - the State Duma. In fact, this meant that from 1905 a constitutional monarchy was established in Russia in its dualistic form. But this form of government did not last long, since the February and October Revolution 1917 marked the beginning of a completely different socio-political system.

Modern examples of constitutional monarchies

Pronounced dualistic monarchies modern world are Morocco and Jordan. With reservations, you can add European ones to them dwarf states Monaco and Liechtenstein. Sometimes the government systems of Bahrain, Kuwait and the UAE are considered this form of government, but most political science experts consider them to be closer to absolutism.

Most famous examples The parliamentary monarchy is represented by the state structure of Great Britain and its former dominions (Australia, Canada, New Zealand), Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Japan and other countries. It should be noted that there are much more states representing this form of government than dualistic ones.

The meaning of the form of government

Thus, we can state the fact that constitutional monarchy in its various forms is a fairly common form of government. In many countries its existence dates back hundreds of years, while in others it was established relatively recently. This means that this type of government remains quite relevant today.

If in the parliamentary form the formal primacy of the monarch is associated more with respect for history and traditions, then the dualistic form is a way to limit the level of concentration of power in one hand. But, of course, each country has its own characteristics and nuances of the formation and functioning of this type of government system.