IN modern world There are just over 230 states and self-governing territories with international status. Of these, only 41 states have a monarchical form of government, not counting several dozen territories under the authority of the British Crown. It would seem that in the modern world there is a clear advantage on the side of republican states. But upon closer examination, it turns out that these countries mostly belong to the third world and were formed as a result of the collapse of the colonial system. Often created along colonial administrative boundaries, these states are very unstable entities. They can fragment and change, as can be seen, for example, in Iraq. They are engulfed in ongoing conflicts, like a significant number of countries in Africa. And it is absolutely obvious that they do not belong to the category of advanced states.
Today, the monarchy is an extremely flexible and multifaceted system ranging from the tribal form, successfully operating in Arab states the Middle East, to the monarchical version of the democratic state in many European countries.
Here is a list of states with a monarchical system and the territories under their crown:
Europe
* Andorra - co-princes Nicolas Sarkozy (since 2007) and Joan Enric Vives i Sicilha (since 2003)
* Belgium - King Albert II (since 1993)
* Vatican - Pope Benedict XVI (since 2005)
* Great Britain - Queen Elizabeth II (since 1952)
* Denmark - Queen Margrethe II (since 1972)
* Spain - King Juan Carlos I (since 1975)
* Liechtenstein - Prince Hans-Adam II (since 1989)
* Luxembourg - Grand Duke Henri (since 2000)
* Monaco - Prince Albert II (since 2005)
* Netherlands - Queen Beatrix (since 1980)
* Norway - King Harald V (since 1991)
* Sweden - King Carl XVI Gustaf (since 1973)
Asia.
* Bahrain - King Hamad ibn Isa al-Khalifa (since 2002, emir 1999-2002)
* Brunei - Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah (since 1967)
* Bhutan - King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck (since 2006)
* Jordan - King Abdullah II (since 1999)
* Cambodia - King Norodom Sihamoni (since 2004)
* Qatar - Emir Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani (since 1995)
* Kuwait - Emir Sabah al-Ahmed al-Jaber al-Sabah (since 2006)
* Malaysia - King Mizan Zainal Abidin (since 2006)
* United United Arab Emirates UAE - President Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan (since 2004)
* Oman - Sultan Qaboos bin Said (since 1970)
* Saudi Arabia - King Abdullah ibn Abdulaziz al-Saud (since 2005)
* Thailand - King Bhumibol Adulyadej (since 1946)
* Japan - Emperor Akihito (since 1989)
Africa
* Lesotho - King Letsie III (since 1996, first time 1990-1995)
* Morocco - King Mohammed VI (since 1999)
* Swaziland - King Mswati III (since 1986)
Oceania
* Tonga - King George Tupou V (since 2006)
Dominions
In the dominions, or Commonwealth kingdoms, the head is the monarch of Great Britain, represented by the governor-general.
America
* Antigua and Barbuda Antigua and Barbuda
* Bahamas Bahamas
* Barbados
* Belize
* Grenada
*Canada
* Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
* Saint Kitts and Nevis
* Saint Lucia
* Jamaica
Oceania
* Australia
* New Zealand
* Niue
* Papua New Guinea
* Solomon islands
* Tuvalu
Asia holds first place in the number of countries with monarchical statehood. This is a progressive and democratic Japan. Leaders of the Muslim world - Saudi Arabia, Brunei, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, Bahrain, Oman. Two monarchical confederations - Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates. And also Thailand, Cambodia, Bhutan.
Second place belongs to Europe. Monarchy here is represented not only in a limited form - in countries occupying leading positions in the EEC (Great Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, etc.). But also the absolute form of government is in “dwarf” states: Monaco, Liechtenstein, Vatican.
Third place goes to the countries of Polynesia, and fourth place to Africa, where currently only three full-fledged monarchies remain: Morocco, Lesotho, Swaziland, plus several hundred “tourist” ones.
However, a number of republican countries are forced to put up with the presence of traditional local monarchical or tribal formations on their territory, and even enshrine their rights in the constitution. These include: Uganda, Nigeria, Indonesia, Chad and others. Even countries such as India and Pakistan, which abolished the sovereign rights of local monarchs (khans, sultans, rajas, maharajas) in the early 70s of the 20th century, are often forced to accept the existence of these rights, which is called de facto. Governments turn to the authority of holders of monarchical rights when resolving regional religious, ethnic, cultural disputes and other conflict situations.
Stability and prosperity
Of course, the monarchy does not automatically solve all social, economic and political problems. But, nevertheless, it can provide a certain amount of stability and balance in the political, social and national structure of society. That is why even those countries where it exists only nominally, say, Canada or Australia, are in no hurry to get rid of the monarchy. The political elite of these countries for the most part understands how important it is for the balance in society that the supreme power is a priori consolidated in one hand and that political circles do not fight for it, but work in the name of the interests of the entire nation.
Moreover, historical experience shows that the best social security systems in the world were built in monarchical states. And we are talking not only about the monarchies of Scandinavia, where even Soviet agitprop in monarchical Sweden managed to find a version of “socialism with human face". Such a system was built in the modern countries of the Persian Gulf, where there is often much less oil than in some fields of the Russian Federation. Despite this, in the 40-60 years since the independence of the Persian Gulf countries, without revolutions and civil wars, liberalization of everything and all, without utopian social experiments, in conditions of a rigid, sometimes absolutist, political system, in the absence of parliamentarism and a constitution, when all the bowels of the country belong to one ruling family, from poor Bedouins herding camels, the majority are citizens of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and other neighboring countries, have become quite wealthy citizens.
Without going into endless enumeration of the advantages of Arabic social system, you can give just a few strokes. Any citizen of the country has the right to free medical care, including that provided in any, even the most expensive, clinic located in any country in the world. Also, any citizen of the country has the right to free education, coupled with free content, in any higher educational institution world (Cambridge, Oxford, Yale, Sorbonne). Young families are provided with housing at the expense of the state. The monarchies of the Persian Gulf are truly social states in which all conditions have been created for the progressive growth of the well-being of the population.
Turning from flourishing Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar to their neighbors in the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Peninsula, who abandoned the monarchy for a number of reasons (Yemen, Iraq, Iran), we will see a striking difference in the internal climate of these states.
Who strengthens the unity of the people?
As historical experience shows, in multinational states the integrity of the country is primarily associated with the monarchy. We see this in the past, for example Russian Empire, Austria-Hungary, Yugoslavia, Iraq. The monarchical regime that comes to replace it, as was the case, for example, in Yugoslavia and Iraq, no longer has the same authority and is forced to resort to cruelties that were not characteristic of the monarchical system of government. At the slightest weakening of this regime, the state, as a rule, is doomed to collapse. This happened with Russia (USSR), we see this in Yugoslavia and Iraq. The abolition of the monarchy in a number of modern countries would inevitably lead to the cessation of their existence as multinational, united states. This primarily applies to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Malaysia, and Saudi Arabia. Thus, the year 2007 clearly showed that in the conditions of the parliamentary crisis that arose due to the national contradictions of Flemish and Walloon politicians, only the authority of King Albert II of the Belgians kept Belgium from disintegrating into two or even more independent state entities. In multilingual Belgium, a joke was even born that the unity of its people is held together by only three things - beer, chocolate and the king. Whereas the abolition of the monarchical system in 2008 in Nepal plunged this state into a chain of political crises and permanent civil confrontation.
The second half of the 20th century gives us several successful examples of the return of peoples who experienced an era of instability, civil wars and other conflicts to a monarchical form of government. The most famous and, undoubtedly, in many ways good example- this is Spain. Having gone through the civil war, economic crisis and right-wing dictatorship, it returned to the monarchical form of government, taking its rightful place among the family of European nations. Another example is Cambodia. Also, monarchical regimes at the local level were restored in Uganda, after the fall of the dictatorship of Marshal Idi Amin (1928-2003), and in Indonesia, which, after the departure of General Mohammed Hoxha Sukarto (1921-2008), is experiencing a true monarchical renaissance. One of the local sultanates was restored in this country two centuries after it was destroyed by the Dutch.
Restoration ideas are quite strong in Europe, especially in the Balkan countries (Serbia, Montenegro, Albania and Bulgaria), where many politicians, public and spiritual figures constantly have to speak out on on this occasion, and in some cases, provide support to the heads of the Royal Houses who were in exile. This is proven by the experience of King Leki of Albania, who almost carried out an armed coup in his country, and the stunning successes of King Simeon II of Bulgaria, who created his own national movement, named after him, managed to become prime minister of the country and is currently the leader of the largest opposition party in the Bulgarian parliament, which is part of the coalition government.
Among the currently existing monarchies, there are many that are openly absolutist in essence, although they are forced, as a tribute to the times, to dress up in the garb of popular representation and democracy. European monarchs in most cases do not even use the rights given to them by the constitution.
And here the Principality of Liechtenstein occupies a special place on the map of Europe. Just sixty years ago it was a large village, which by an absurd accident gained independence. However, now, thanks to the activities of Prince Franz Joseph II and his son and successor Prince Hans Adam II, this is one of the largest business and financial centers, which has managed not to succumb to promises of creating a “single European house”, to defend its sovereignty and an independent view of its own state device.
The stability of the political and economic systems of most monarchical countries makes them not only not outdated, but progressive and attractive, forcing them to be equal to them in a number of parameters.
So the monarchy is not an addition to stability and prosperity, but an additional resource that makes it easier to endure illness and recover faster from political and economic adversity.
Without a king at the head
There is a fairly common situation in the world when there is no monarchy in a country, but there are monarchs (sometimes they are located outside the country). The heirs of royal families either lay claim (even formally) to the throne lost by their ancestors, or, having lost official power, retain real impact for the life of the country. Here is a list of such states.
Austria
The monarchy ceased to exist in 1918 after the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The contender for the throne is Archduke Otto von Habsburg, son of the deposed Emperor Charles.
Albania
The monarchy ceased to exist in 1944 after the communists came to power. The contender for the throne is Leka, the son of the deposed King Zog I.
Andorra Principality, whose nominal co-rulers are the President of France and the Bishop of Urgell (Spain); some observers consider it necessary to classify Andorra as a monarchy.
Afghanistan
The monarchy ceased to exist in 1973 after the overthrow of King Mohammed Zahir Shah, who returned to the country in 2002 after many years in Italy, but did not actively participate in political life.
Benin Republic,
Traditional kings (Ahosu) and tribal leaders play an important role in its life. The most famous current reigning king (ahosu) of Abomey is Agoli Agbo III, the 17th representative of his dynasty.
Bulgaria
The monarchy ceased to exist after the overthrow of Tsar Simeon II in 1946. Decree on the nationalization of lands belonging to royal family, was canceled in 1997. Since 2001, the former tsar has served as Prime Minister of Bulgaria under the name of Simeon of Saxe-Coburg Gotha.
Botswana
Republic since independence in 1966. Members of one of the country's parliamentary chambers, the House of Chiefs, include the chiefs (Kgosi) of the country's eight largest tribes.
Brazil
Republic since the abdication of Emperor Don Pedro II in 1889. The contender for the throne is the great-great-grandson of the abdicated emperor, Prince Luis Gastao.
Burkina Faso
Republic since independence in 1960. The country is home to a large number of traditional states, the most significant of which is Vogodogo (in the territory of the capital of the country, Ouagodougou), where the ruler (moogo-naaba) Baongo II is currently on the throne.
Vatican
Theocracy (some analysts consider it a form of monarchy - an absolute theocratic monarchy - but it should be borne in mind that it is not and cannot be hereditary).
Hungary
The Republic since 1946, before that, since 1918, it was a nominal monarchy - the regent ruled in the absence of the king. Until 1918, it was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (the emperors of Austria were also kings of Hungary), so the potential contender for the Hungarian royal throne is the same as in Austria.
East Timor
Republic since independence in 2002. There are a number of traditional states on the territory of the country, the rulers of which have the titles of rajas.
Vietnam
The monarchy in the country finally ceased to exist in 1955, when, following a referendum, a republic was proclaimed in South Vietnam. Previously, in 1945, the last Emperor Bao Dai had already abdicated the throne, but the French authorities returned him to the country in 1949 and gave him the post of head of state. The contender for the throne is the emperor's son, Prince Bao Long.
Gambia
Republic since 1970 (from independence in 1965 until the proclamation of the republic, the head of state was the Queen of Great Britain). In 1995, Yvonne Prior, a Dutch woman from Suriname, was recognized as the reincarnation of one of the ancient kings and was proclaimed queen of the Mandingo people.
Ghana
Republic since 1960 (from independence in 1957 until the proclamation of the republic, the head of state was the Queen of Great Britain). The Constitution of Ghana guarantees the right of traditional rulers (sometimes called kings, sometimes chiefs) to participate in the management of the affairs of the state.
Germany
Republic since the overthrow of the monarchy in 1918. The contender for the throne is Prince Georg Friedrich of Prussia, great-great-grandson of Kaiser Wilhelm II.
Greece
The monarchy officially ended as a result of a referendum in 1974. King Constantine of Greece, who fled the country after the military coup in 1967, currently lives in the UK. In 1994, the Greek government stripped the king of his citizenship and confiscated his property in Greece. The royal family is currently challenging this decision at the International Court of Human Rights.
Georgia
Republic since independence in 1991. The contender for the throne of the Georgian kingdom, which lost its independence as a result of annexation to Russia in 1801, is Georgiy Iraklievich Bagration-Mukhransky, Prince of Georgia.
Egypt
The monarchy existed until the overthrow of King Ahmad Fuad II of Egypt and Sudan in 1953. Currently, the former king, who was just over a year old at the time of the loss of the throne, lives in France.
Iraq
The monarchy ended in 1958 as a result of a revolution in which King Faisal II was killed. Claims to the Iraqi throne are made by Prince Raad bin Zeid, brother of King Faisal I of Iraq, and Prince Sharif Ali bin Ali Hussein, grandnephew of the same king.
Iran The monarchy ceased to exist in 1979 after the revolution that overthrew Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. The contender for the throne is the son of the deposed Shah, Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi.
Italy
The monarchy ceased to exist in 1946 as a result of a referendum, King Umberto II was forced to leave the country. The contender for the throne is the son of the last king, Crown Prince Victor Emmanuel, Duke of Savoy.
Yemen
The republic emerged from the unification of North and South Yemen in 1990. In North Yemen, the monarchy ceased to exist in 1962. The sultanates and principalities in South Yemen were abolished after the declaration of independence in 1967. The contender for the throne is Prince Akhmat al-Ghani bin Mohammed al-Mutawakkil.
Cameroon
Republic since independence in 1960. The country is home to a large number of traditional sultanates, the heads of which often occupy high government positions. Among the most famous traditional rulers is Sultan Bamuna Ibrahim Mbombo Njoya, Sultan (baba) of the kingdom of Rey Buba Buba Abdoulaye.
Congo(Democratic Republic of Congo, former Zaire)
Republic since independence in 1960. There are a number of traditional kingdoms throughout the country. The most famous are: the kingdom of Cuba (on the throne is King Kwete Mboke); the kingdom of Luba (king, sometimes also called emperor, Kabongo Jacques); the state of Ruund (Lunda), headed by the ruler (mwaant yaav) Mbumb II Muteb.
Congo(Republic of Congo)
Republic since independence in 1960. In 1991, the country's authorities restored the institution of traditional leaders (reconsidering their decision 20 years ago). The most famous of the leaders is the head of the traditional Teke kingdom - King (oonko) Makoko XI.
Korea
(DPRK and the Republic of Korea) The monarchy ceased to exist in 1945 due to the surrender of Japan, in 1945-1948 the country was under the control of the allied powers that won the Second World War, in 1948 two republics were proclaimed on the territory of the Korean Peninsula. Due to the fact that from 1910 to 1945 the rulers of Korea were vassals of Japan, they are usually classified as part of the Japanese imperial family. The contender for the Korean throne is the representative of this family, Prince Kyu Ri (sometimes his last name is written as Lee). On the territory of the DPRK, there is a de facto hereditary form of government, but de jure it is not stipulated in the country’s legislation.
Ivory Coast
Republic since independence in 1960. On the territory of the country (and partly on the territory of neighboring Ghana) is the traditional kingdom of Abrons (ruled by King Nanan Adjumani Kuassi Adingra).
Laos
The monarchy ended in 1975 as a result of the communist revolution. In 1977, all members of the royal family were sent to a concentration camp ("re-education camp"). The king's two sons, Prince Sulivong Savang and Prince Danyavong Savang, were able to escape from Laos in 1981-1982. There is no official information about the fate of the king, queen, crown prince and other family members. According to unofficial reports, they all died of starvation in a concentration camp. Prince Sulivong Sawang, as the eldest surviving male of the clan, is the formal contender for the throne.
Libya
The monarchy ceased to exist in 1969. After the coup organized by Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, King Idris I, who was abroad during the coup, was forced to abdicate. The contender for the throne is the official heir of the king (the adopted son of his cousin), Prince Mohammed al-Hasan al-Rida.
Malawi
Republic since 1966 (from the declaration of independence in 1964 until the proclamation of the republic, the head of state was the Queen of Great Britain). An important role in the political life of the country is played by the paramount leader (inkosi ya makosi) Mmbelwa IV of the Ngoni dynasty.
Maldives
The monarchy ceased to exist after a referendum in 1968 (during the period of British rule, that is, before the declaration of independence in 1965, the country had already become a republic once for a short time). The formal contender for the throne, although he has never declared his claims, is Prince Mohammed Nureddin, the son of Sultan Hassan Nureddin II of the Maldives (reigned 1935-1943).
Mexico
The monarchy ceased to exist in 1867 after the execution by revolutionaries of the ruler of the empire proclaimed in 1864, Archduke Maximilian of Austria. Earlier, in 1821-1823, the country had already once been an independent state with a monarchical form of structure. Representatives of the Iturbide dynasty, whose ancestor was the Mexican emperor during this period, are pretenders to the Mexican throne. The head of the Iturbide family is Baroness Maria (II) Anna Tankle Iturbide.
Mozambique
Republic since independence in 1975. The country is home to the traditional state of Manyika, whose ruler (mambo) is Mutasa Paphiwa.
Myanmar
(until 1989 Burma) Republic since independence in 1948. The monarchy ceased to exist in 1885 after the annexation of Burma to British India. The contender for the throne is Prince Hteiktin Taw Paya, grandson of the last king Thibaw Min.
Namibia
Republic since independence in 1990. A number of tribes are governed by traditional rulers. The role of traditional leaders is evidenced by the fact that Hendrik Witbooi served as deputy head of government for several years.
Niger
Republic since independence in 1960. There are a number of traditional states on the territory of the country. Their rulers and tribal elders choose their political and religious leader, who bears the title of Sultan of Zinder (the title is not hereditary). Currently, the title of the 20th Sultan of Zinder is held by Haji Mamadou Mustafa.
Nigeria
Republic since 1963 (from independence in 1960 until the proclamation of the republic, the head of state was the Queen of Great Britain). There are about 100 traditional states on the territory of the country, the rulers of which bear both the familiar-sounding titles of Sultan or Emir, as well as more exotic ones: Aku Uka, Olu, Igwe, Amanyanabo, Tor Tiv, Alafin, Oba, Obi, Ataoja, Oroje, Olubaka, Ohimege (most often this means “leader” or “supreme leader”).
Palau(Belau)
Republic since independence in 1994. Legislative power is exercised by the House of Delegates (Council of Chiefs), which consists of the traditional rulers of Palau's 16 provinces. The greatest authority is enjoyed by Yutaka Gibbons, the paramount chief (ibedul) of Koror, the main city of the country.
Portugal
The monarchy ceased to exist in 1910 as a result of the escape from the country of King Manuel II, who feared for his life due to an armed uprising. The contender for the throne is Dom Duarte III Pio, Duke of Braganza.
Russia
The monarchy ceased to exist after the February Revolution of 1917. Although there are several contenders for Russian throne, most monarchists recognize Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna, the great-great-granddaughter of Emperor Alexander II, as the legal heir.
Romania
The monarchy ceased to exist after the abdication of King Michael I in 1947. After the collapse of communism, the former king visited his native country several times. In 2001, the Romanian parliament granted him the rights of a former head of state - a residence, a personal car with a driver and a salary of 50% of the salary of the country's president.
Serbia
Along with Montenegro, it was part of Yugoslavia until 2002 (the remaining republics left Yugoslavia in 1991). In Yugoslavia, the monarchy finally ceased to exist in 1945 (since 1941, King Peter II was outside the country). After his death, his son, the heir to the throne, Prince Alexander (Karageorgievich), became the head of the royal house.
USA
Republic since independence in 1776. On Hawaiian Islands(annexed to the United States in 1898, gained statehood in 1959) until 1893 there was a monarchy. The contender for the Hawaiian throne is Prince Quentin Kuhio Kawananakoa, a direct descendant of the last Hawaiian Queen Liliuokalani.
Tanzania
The republic was formed in 1964 as a result of the unification of Tanganyika and Zanzibar. On the island of Zanzibar, shortly before the unification, the monarchy was overthrown. The 10th Sultan of Zanzibar, Jamshid bin Abdullah, was forced to leave the country. In 2000, the Tanzanian authorities announced the rehabilitation of the monarch and that he had the right to return to his homeland as an ordinary citizen.
Tunisia
The monarchy ceased to exist in 1957, at next year after the declaration of independence. The contender for the throne is Crown Prince Sidi Ali Ibrahim.
Turkey Proclaimed a republic in 1923 (the sultanate was abolished a year earlier, and the caliphate a year later). The contender for the throne is Prince Osman VI.
Uganda
Republic since 1963 (from independence in 1962 until the proclamation of the republic, the head of state was the Queen of Great Britain). Some traditional kingdoms in the country were eliminated in 1966-1967 and almost all were restored in 1993-1994. Others managed to avoid liquidation.
Philippines
Republic since independence in 1946. There are many traditional sultanates in the country. 28 of them are concentrated in the area of Lake Lanao (Mindanao Island). The Philippine government officially recognizes the confederation of Sultans of Lanao (Ranao) as a political force representing the interests of certain segments of the island's population. At least six people representing two clans claim the throne of the Sultanate of Sulu (located on the archipelago of the same name), which is explained by various political and financial benefits.
France
The monarchy was abolished in 1871. The heirs of various families claim the French throne: Prince Henry of Orleans, Count of Paris and Duke of France (Orléanist pretender); Louis Alphonse de Bourbon, Duke of Anjou (legitimist pretender) and Prince Charles Bonaparte, Prince Napoleon (Bonapartist pretender).
Central African Republic
After gaining independence from France in 1960, a republic was proclaimed. Colonel Jean-Bedel Bokassa, who came to power in 1966 as a result of a military coup, proclaimed the country an empire and himself emperor in 1976. In 1979, Bokassa was overthrown and the Central African Empire once again became the Central African Republic. The contender for the throne is Bokassa's son, Crown Prince Jean-Bedel Georges Bokassa.
Chad Republic since independence in 1960. Among the numerous traditional states in Chad, two should be highlighted: the Bagirmi and Wadari sultanates (both were formally liquidated after the declaration of independence and restored in 1970). Sultan (mbang) Bagirmi - Muhammad Yusuf, Sultan (kolak) Vadari - Ibrahim ibn Muhammad Urada.
Montenegro See Serbia
Ethiopia
The monarchy ceased to exist in 1975 after the abolition of the post of emperor. The last of the reigning emperors was Haile Selassie I, who belonged to the dynasty, the founders of which are considered to be Menelik I, the son of Solomon, king of Israel, by the Queen of Sheba. In 1988, Haile Selassie's son, Amha Selassie I, was proclaimed the new Emperor of Ethiopia (in exile) in a private ceremony in London.
South African Republic
Since 1961 (from independence in 1910 until the proclamation of the republic, the head of state was the Queen of Great Britain). Tribal leaders (amakosi) play an important role in the life of the country, as well as the ruler of the traditional kingdom of KwaZulu, Goodwill Zwelithini KaBekuzulu. Separately, it is worth highlighting the supreme leader of the Tembu tribe, Baelekhai Dalindyebo a Sabata, who, in accordance with the customs of the tribe, is considered the nephew of former South African President Nelson Mandela. The leader of the tribe is also a well-known politician, leader of the Inkatha Freedom Party, Mangosuthu Gatshi Buthelezi from the Buthelezi tribe. During the apartheid period, the South African authorities created ten "autonomous" tribal entities called Bantustans (homelands). In 1994
And now a little about the features of the African monarchy.
African autocrats.
Benin. Joseph Langanfen, a member of the Abomi dynasty, is the president of KAFRA, the council of Abomi royal families.
The scions of the dynasties that entered the history of Africa before the beginning of the twentieth century are the bearers of the secret power with which “modern governments” must coexist.
Unlike the Indian Maharjas, they have survived the upheavals of history and exist, as it were, in parallel world, which remains very real. However, for some Africans they represent a backward, archaic system that has succumbed to Western colonization. They are accused of tribal conservatism, which prevents traditional African societies from moving towards the formation of modern states.
For others, these kings are the guarantors of the old culture in the face of an uncertain future. Be that as it may, they are still present in different countries, and this reality must be taken into account.
Nigeria. Igwe Kenneth Nnaji Onimeke Orizu III. Obi (king) of the Nnewi tribe. When he was proclaimed king in 1963, Igwe was a farmer and his 10 wives bore him 30 children. Situated in the east of the Niger River, the tribe's main city has several millionaires.
Benin. Agboli-Agbo Dejlani. King of abomi. A former policeman, he had to wait six years for retirement before finally being proclaimed in a secret ceremony the head of one of the Abomi clans. By nature, the monogamous king had to take two more wives, as required by rank.
Nigeria. In 1980, Sijuwade became the 50th oni (king) of Ilfa, one of the oldest African dynasties. Today he is a wealthy businessman, owning extensive property in Nigeria and England.
Cameroon. Fon (king) Banjuna is the brother of the brave and powerful animals. At night, he can turn into a panther and hunt in a shroud. Formerly the chief administrator and head of the Cabinet of the Minister of Finance of Cameroon, Kamga Joseph is now the 13th von of his tribe.
Ghana. Ocediyo ado Danqua III. A graduate of the University of London and an economic adviser to the Ghanaian government, King Akropong has spent the last sixteen years living in the "holy places" of the Akuarem-Ason, one of the seven major clans of the Akan tribe.
Congo. Nyimi Kok Mabintsh III, King of Cuba. Now he is 50, he ascended the throne at the age of 20. He is considered a descendant of the creator god and the possessor of supernatural powers. He has no right to sit on the ground or cross cultivated fields. And no one has ever seen him eat.
South Africa. Goodwill Zwelethini, King of the Zulu. He is a direct descendant of the legendary Chaka Zulu, the founder of the kingdom, whose military genius is sometimes compared to Napoleon.
Nigeria. Oba Joseph Adekola Ogunoye. Olowo (king) of the Ovo tribe. 600 years ago, the first monarch of the dynasty fell in love with a beautiful girl who turned out to be a goddess. She became his wife, but demanded that every year the people hold festivals in her honor with a sacrifice. This still happens, but human sacrifices - necessarily a man and a woman - were replaced by a sheep and a goat.
Cameroon. Hapi IV, King of Bana. This royal dynasty is associated with a real tragedy. In the mid-12th century, several Bamileke clans settled in small villages around Ban. Legend has it that one of the village chiefs, Mfenge, was accused of witchcraft. In order to justify himself, he cut off his mother's head, and the corpse was studied by local shamans. Claims that witchcraft was transmitted through the "womb" were not proven, and Mfenge himself was made king.
These are Their African Majesties. 21st century.
What is a monarchy? Most often, this word evokes in people associations with something magnificent, majestic and absolute. In this article we will look not only general concept, but also types of monarchy, its purpose and goals, both centuries-old history humanity, and at the present moment. If we briefly outline the topic of the article, it can be formulated as follows: “Monarchy: concept, characteristics, types.”
What type of government is called a monarchy?
Monarchy is one of the types of government that involves the sole leadership of the country. In other words, this is a political system where all power is in the hands of one person. Such a ruler is called a monarch, but in different countries you can hear other titles, namely: emperor, shah, king or queen - they are all monarchs, regardless of what they are called in their homeland. Another important feature of monarchical power is that it is inherited without any votes or elections. Naturally, if there are no direct heirs, then the laws that control succession to the throne in monarchical countries come into force. Thus, power most often passes to the closest relative, but world history knows many other options.
In general, the form of government in a state determines the structure of the highest power in the country, as well as the distribution of functions, responsibilities and duties of the highest legislative bodies. As for the monarchy, as already mentioned, all power belongs to a single ruler. The monarch receives it for life, and, moreover, does not bear any legal responsibility for his decisions, although it is he who determines how the state should act in a given situation.
How to distinguish a monarchical form of government?
Regardless of the fact that different types of monarchy have their differences, there are also basic features that are common to all. Such characteristics help to quickly and accurately determine that we are really dealing with monarchical power. So, the main characteristics include the following:
- There is a single ruler who is the head of state.
- The monarch exercises his power from the moment he takes office until his death.
- The transfer of power occurs through kinship, which is called inheritance.
- The monarch has every right to govern the state at his own discretion; his decisions are not discussed or questioned.
- The monarch is not subject to legal liability for his actions or decisions.
About the types of monarchy
Like other types of government, monarchy is a fairly broad concept, so its subtypes with individual characteristics are also defined. Almost all types and forms of monarchy can be grouped into the following list:
- Despotism.
- Absolute monarchy.
- Constitutional monarchy (dualistic and parliamentary).
- Estate-representative monarchy.
For all of these forms of government, the basic features of a monarchy remain, but they have their own unique nuances that create differences between them. Next, it is worth discussing in more detail what types of monarchy there are and their characteristics.
About despotism
Despotism is a variant of monarchy, where the power of the ruler is not limited by anything at all. In this case, the monarch is called a despot. As a rule, his power comes from the military-bureaucratic apparatus. In other words, he controls his subordinates through force, which is mainly expressed in the support of troops or other security forces.
Since absolutely all power is in the hands of the despot, the law that he establishes does not limit his rights or opportunities in any way. Thus, the monarch and his entourage can do whatever they want with impunity, and this will not have any negative consequences for them in a legal context.
Interesting fact: the great ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle mentioned despotism in one of his works. He noted that this form of government is very similar to the situation with the master and his power over the slaves, where the master is an analogue of a despot monarch, and slaves are the ruler’s subjects.
About absolute monarchy
Types of monarchy include the concept of absolutism. Here main feature- this is the ownership of all power exclusively by one person. Such a structure of power in the case of an absolute monarchy is dictated by law. It is also worth noting that absolutism and dictatorship are very similar types of power.
An absolute monarchy indicates that in a state all spheres of life are individually controlled by the ruler. That is, he controls the legislative, executive, judicial and military industries. Often even religious or spiritual power is entirely in his hands.
Looking at this issue in more detail, we can say that there is a rather ambiguous opinion about this type of government as an absolute monarchy. The concept and types of state leadership are quite broad, but with regards to despotism and absolutism, it is worth noting that the best option is still the second. If in a totalitarian country under the leadership of a despot literally everything is controlled, freedom of thought is destroyed and many civil rights are abolished, then an absolute monarchy can be very favorable for the people. An example can be provided by prosperous Luxembourg, where the standard of living of the people is the highest in Europe. In addition, at the moment we can see types of absolute monarchy in countries such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Qatar.
About the constitutional monarchy
The difference between this type of government is the limited power of the monarch, established by the constitution, traditions, or sometimes even unwritten law. Here the monarch does not have priority in the sphere of state power. It is also important that the restrictions are not just written into the law, but are actually enforced.
Types of constitutional monarchies:
- Dualistic monarchy. Here the power of the monarch is limited as follows: all decisions made by the monarch must be confirmed by a specially appointed minister. Without his resolution, not a single decision of the ruler will come into effect. Another difference between a dualistic monarchy is that all executive power remains with the monarch.
- Parliamentary monarchy. It also limits the power of the monarch, to such an extent that, in fact, he performs only a ceremonial or representative role. The ruler in a parliamentary monarchy has virtually no real power. Here, all executive power belongs to the government, which, in turn, is responsible to parliament.
About the estate-representative monarchy
This form of monarchy involves class representatives who are directly involved in drawing up laws and governing the state in general. Here the power of the monarch is also limited, and this happens mainly due to the development of monetary and commodity relations. This put an end to the stability of the subsistence economy, which was then closed. Thus, the concept of centralization of power in a political context arose.
This type of monarchy was typical for European countries in the period from the 12th to the 14th centuries. Examples include the Parliament in England, the Cortes and Spain, and the Estates General in France. In Russia, these were Zemsky Sobors in the period from the 16th to the 17th centuries.
Examples of monarchical rule in the modern world
In addition to these countries, absolute monarchy is established in Brunei and the Vatican. It is worth noting that the United Arab Emirates is essentially a federal state, but each of the seven emirates in this association is part of an absolute monarchy.
The most striking example of a parliamentary monarchy is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Holland is also sometimes included here.
Many countries belong to the constitutional monarchy, among which we highlight the following: Spain, Belgium, Monaco, Japan, Andorra, Cambodia, Thailand, Morocco and many others.
Regarding dual monarchy, there are three main examples worth mentioning: Jordan, Morocco and Kuwait. It is worth noting that the latter is sometimes referred to as an absolute monarchy.
Weaknesses of the monarchy
Monarchy, the concept and types of which were discussed above, is a political structure that, naturally, has certain disadvantages.
The main problem is that the ruler and the people are too far from each other due to a peculiar layer, which is where weakness monarchy as a form of government. All types of monarchies, without exception, are distinguished by this disadvantage. The ruler is almost completely isolated from his people, which negatively affects both relationships and the monarch’s understanding of the real situation, and, accordingly, his acceptance important decisions. This is a small fraction of the unpleasant moments that are provoked by this state of affairs.
It is also obvious that when a country is governed in accordance with the preferences and moral principles of only one person, this introduces a certain subjectivity. The monarch is only a man and, like ordinary citizens, is subject to attacks of pride and self-confidence that stem from the intoxication of unlimited power. If we add to this the impunity of the ruler, then a rather characteristic picture is observed.
Another not entirely successful aspect of the monarchical system is the transfer of title by inheritance. Even if we consider the types of limited monarchy, this aspect is still present. The trouble is that the next heirs according to the law do not always turn out to be worthy people. This concerns both the general and organizational characteristics of the future monarch (for example, not everyone is decisive or wise enough to rule the country) and his health (most often mental). Thus, power can pass into the hands of a mentally unbalanced and stupid older brother, although the reigning family has a wiser and fully adequate younger heir.
Types of monarchy: pros and cons
History shows that most often in a monarchical form of government the people did not like the aristocracy. The problem was that people belonging to the upper strata of society were financially and intellectually different from the majority, accordingly, this sowed natural enmity and gave rise to mutual hostility. But it is worth noting that if at the court of the monarch a policy was introduced that weakened the position of the aristocracy, then its place was firmly occupied by the bureaucracy. Naturally, this state of affairs was even worse.
As for the lifetime power of the monarch, this is an ambiguous aspect. On the one hand, having the opportunity to make decisions over a long period of time, the monarch could work for the future. That is, counting on the fact that he would rule for several decades, the ruler gradually and consistently implemented his policies. This is not bad for the country, if the vector of development of the state is chosen correctly and for the benefit of the people. On the other hand, holding the post of monarch for more than one decade, bearing the burden of government concerns on one’s shoulders, is quite tiring, which can subsequently affect the efficiency of work.
To summarize, we can say that the monarchy is good for the following:
- A clearly established succession to the throne helps keep the country in a relatively stable state.
- A monarch who rules for life is able to do more than a time-limited ruler.
- All aspects of the country's life are controlled by one person, so he can see the whole picture very clearly.
Among the disadvantages it is worth emphasizing the following:
- Hereditary power could doom the country to life under the control of a person who is simply not capable of being a ruler for one reason or another.
- The distance between the common people and the monarchs is incommensurable. The existence of the aristocracy very sharply divides the people into social strata.
Disadvantages for the good
Quite often, the virtues of the monarchy turned out to be a problem in one situation or another. But sometimes everything happened the other way around: the seemingly unacceptable shortcoming of the monarchy unexpectedly helped and acted for the benefit of the people.
In this section we will touch on the topic of injustice of the monarchy. Undoubtedly, many politicians who want to come to power are not satisfied with the fact that the title of the ruler of the country is inherited. The people, in turn, are often dissatisfied with the clear and inexorable stratification of society along class lines. But on the other hand, the hereditary power of the monarch stabilizes many political, social and economic processes in the state. The inevitable inheritance of power prevents unconstructive competition between the huge number of candidates vying for the post of ruler. Competition between contenders for the right to govern the country can lead to instability in the state and even military resolution of conflicts. And since everything is predetermined, peace and prosperity in the region are achieved.
Republic
There is another one important point Something worth discussing is the types of monarchies and republics. Since a lot has been said about the monarchy, let us turn to an alternative type of governing the country. A republic is a form of government where all government bodies are formed through elections and exist in this composition for a limited period. It is important to understand this in order to see the fundamental difference between these types of leadership: monarchical power, where the people are not given a choice, and a republic, the leading representatives of which are elected by the people themselves for a certain term. The elected candidates make up the parliament that actually governs the country. In other words, the head of the republican state becomes the candidates elected by the citizens, and not the heirs of the monarchical dynasty.
A republic is the most popular form of government in world practice, which has repeatedly proven its effectiveness. Interesting fact: most states in the modern world are officially republics. If we talk about numbers, then as of 2006 there were 190 states, of which 140 were republics.
Types of republics and their main characteristics
Not only the monarchy, the concepts and types of which we examined, is divided into structural parts. For example, the main classification of such a form of government as a republic consists of four types:
- Parliamentary republic. Based on the name, you can understand that here most of the power is in the hands of parliament. It is this legislative body that is the government of the country with this form of government.
- Presidential republic. Here the main levers of power are concentrated in the hands of the president. Its task is also to coordinate actions and relations between all governing branches of government.
- Mixed republic. It is also called semi-presidential. The main characteristic of this form of government is the dual responsibility of the government, which is subordinate to both parliament and the president.
- Theocratic republic. In such a formation, power largely or even entirely belongs to the church hierarchy.
Conclusion
Knowledge about what types of monarchy can be found in the modern world helps to more deeply understand the features of government. Studying history, we can observe the triumph or collapse of countries ruled by monarchs. This type of government was one of the steps towards the forms of government that prevail in our time. Therefore, knowing what a monarchy is, the concept and types of which we have discussed in detail, is very important for people interested in the political processes taking place on the world stage.
| No. | Region | A country | Form of government |
| E V R O P A | Great Britain (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) | KM | |
| Spain (Kingdom of Spain) | KM | ||
| Belgium (Kingdom of Belgium) | KM | ||
| Netherlands (Kingdom of the Netherlands) | KM | ||
| Monaco (Principality of Monaco) | KM | ||
| Liechtenstein (Principality of Liechtenstein) | KM | ||
| Sweden (Kingdom of Sweden) | KM | ||
| Norway (Kingdom of Norway) | KM | ||
| Denmark (Kingdom of Denmark) | KM | ||
| Luxembourg (Grand Duchy of Luxembourg) | KM | ||
| Andorra (Principality of Andorra) | KM | ||
| Vatican | ATM | ||
| A Z I Z | Brunei (Brunei Darussalam) | ATM | |
| Saudi Arabia (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) | ATM | ||
| Qatar (State of Qatar) | AM | ||
| Oman (Sultanate of Oman) | AM | ||
| Kuwait (State of Kuwait) | KM | ||
| Bahrain (State of Bahrain) | KM | ||
| United Arab Emirates (UAE) | KM | ||
| Bhutan (Kingdom of Bhutan) | KM | ||
| Cambodia (Kingdom of Cambodia) | KM | ||
| Thailand (Kingdom of Thailand) | KM | ||
| Malaysia (Federation of Malaysia) | KM | ||
| Japan | KM | ||
| Jordan (Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan) | KM | ||
| AFRICA | Morocco (Kingdom of Morocco) | KM | |
| Swaziland (Kingdom of Swaziland) | KM | ||
| Lesotho (Kingdom of Lesotho) | KM | ||
| Oceania | Tonga (Kingdom of Tonga) | KM |
Note: KM – a constitutional monarchy;
AM – absolute monarchy;
ATM is an absolute theocratic monarchy.
Republican form of government arose in ancient times, but became most widespread during the periods of modern and modern history. In 1991, there were 127 republics in the world, but after the collapse of the USSR and Yugoslavia, their total number exceeded 140.
Under a republican system, legislative power usually belongs to parliament, and executive power to the government. At the same time, a distinction is made between presidential, parliamentary and mixed republics.
Presidential republic characterized by the significant role of the president in the system government agencies, the combination in his hands of the powers of the head of state and head of government. It is also called a dualistic republic, thereby emphasizing the fact that strong executive power is concentrated in the hands of the president, and legislative power in the hands of parliament.
Distinctive features of this form of government:
· extra-parliamentary method of electing the president (either by the population - Brazil, France, or by the electoral college - USA),
· extra-parliamentary method of forming a government, that is, it is formed by the president. The president is both formally and legally the head of the government (there is no post of prime minister, as, for example, in the USA), or he appoints the head of government. The government is responsible only to the president, and not to parliament, since only the president can dismiss him,
· in general, with this form of government, the president has much greater powers compared to a parliamentary republic (he is the head of the executive branch, approves laws by signing, has the right to dismiss the government), but in a presidential republic the president, as a rule, is deprived of the right to dissolve parliament , and parliament is deprived of the right to express no confidence in the government, but can remove the president (impeachment procedure).
The United States of America is a classic presidential republic. The US Constitution is based on the principle of separation of powers. According to this constitution, legislative power belongs to Congress, executive power to the President, and judicial power to the Supreme Court. The president, elected by an electoral college, forms a government of persons belonging to his party.
Presidential republics are common in Latin American countries. This form of government is also found in some countries in Asia and Africa. True, sometimes in these countries the power of the head of state actually goes beyond the constitutional framework, and, in particular, Latin American presidential republics were characterized by researchers as super-presidential.
Parliamentary (parliamentary) republic characterized by the proclamation of the principle of the supremacy of parliament, to which the government bears full responsibility for its activities.
In such a republic, the government is formed through parliamentary means from among the deputies of the parties that have a majority of votes in parliament. It remains in power as long as it has the support of a parliamentary majority. This form of government exists in countries with developed, largely self-regulating economies (Italy, Turkey, Germany, Greece, Israel). Elections in this system of democracy are usually held according to party lists, that is, voters vote not for a candidate, but for a party.
The main function of parliament, in addition to legislation, is control over the government. In addition, the parliament has important financial powers, since it develops and adopts the state budget, determines the paths of the country's socio-economic development, and resolves the main issues of the state's domestic, foreign and defense policy.
The head of state in such republics, as a rule, is elected by parliament or a specially formed broader board, which, along with members of parliament, includes representatives of the constituent entities of the federation or representative regional bodies of self-government. This is the main type of parliamentary control over the executive branch.
In Italy, for example, the president of the republic is elected by members of both chambers at their joint meeting, but three representatives from each region, elected by regional councils, participate in the elections. In the Federal Republic of Germany, the President is elected by the Federal Assembly, consisting of members of the Bundestag and the same number of persons elected by the Landtags of the states on the basis of proportional representation. In parliamentary republics, elections can also be general, for example, in Austria, where the president is elected by the population for a term of 6 years.
With this form government they talk about a “weak” president. However, the head of state has fairly broad powers. He promulgates laws, issues decrees, has the right to dissolve parliament, formally appoints the head of government (only the head of the party that won the elections), and is commander-in-chief armed forces, has the right to grant amnesty to convicted persons.
The President, being the head of state, is not the head of the executive branch, that is, the government. The prime minister is formally appointed by the president, but can only be the head of the faction with a parliamentary majority, and not necessarily the head of the winning party. It should be noted that the government is competent to govern the state only when it enjoys the confidence of parliament.
Mixed Republic(also called a semi-presidential, semi-parliamentary, presidential-parliamentary republic) is a form of government that cannot be considered a type of either a presidential or a parliamentary republic. Among the modern ones, the fifth republic in France (after 1962), Portugal, Armenia, Lithuania, Ukraine and Slovakia are mixed.
A special form of government - socialist republic (which arose in the 20th century in a number of countries as a result of the victory of socialist revolutions). Its varieties: Soviet republic and a people's democratic republic (the former USSR, the countries of Eastern Europe before 1991, as well as China, Vietnam, the DPRK, Cuba, which remain socialist republics today).
The republican form of government can be considered the most progressive and democratic. It was chosen not only by economically developed states, but also by the majority of Latin American countries that freed themselves from colonial dependence in the last century, and almost all former colonies in Asia, which gained independence in the middle of this century, as well as African states, most of which achieved independence only in the 60-70s of the 20th century. and even later.
At the same time, it must be borne in mind that such a progressive form of government does not at all unify the republics. They differ quite significantly from each other in political, social and other respects.
It should be noted that there is a unique form of government - interstate associations: Commonwealth, led by Great Britain (Commonwealth) And Commonwealth of Independent States(CIS, which includes Russia).
Legally, the British Commonwealth of Nations was formalized back in 1931. Then it included Great Britain and its dominions - Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Union of South Africa, Newfoundland and Ireland. After the Second World War and the collapse of the British colonial empire, the Commonwealth included the vast majority of Britain's former possessions - about 50 countries with a total territory of more than 30 million km 2 and a population of over 1.2 billion people located in all parts of the world.
Members of the Commonwealth have the unconditional right to unilaterally withdraw from it whenever they wish. It was used by Myanmar (Burma), Ireland, and Pakistan. All states included in the Commonwealth have full sovereignty in their internal and external affairs.
In Commonwealth states that have a republican form of government, the Queen of Great Britain is proclaimed "the head of the Commonwealth... symbol of the free association of its independent member states." Some members of the Commonwealth - Canada, the Commonwealth of Australia (Australia), New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Tuvalu, Mauritius, Jamaica and some others - are officially referred to as “states within the Commonwealth”. Supreme power in these countries formally continues to belong to the British monarch, who is represented in them by the Governor-General, appointed on the recommendation of the government of the given state. The highest body of the Commonwealth is the Conference of Heads of Government.
In 1991, simultaneously with the signing of the Belovezhsky Accords on the dissolution of the USSR, it was decided to create Commonwealth of Independent States(Russia, Ukraine, Belarus). Subsequently, all the former republics of the USSR, except the three Baltic states, joined the CIS. Goals: to promote the integration of the CIS member countries in the economic, political and humanitarian fields, to maintain and develop contacts and cooperation between the peoples and state institutions of the Commonwealth countries. CIS - open organization for the accession of other countries. Over the years, subregional associations have emerged within the CIS: the Central Asian Economic Community (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, with Russia, Georgia, Turkey and Ukraine accepted as observers) and GUUAM (Georgia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Moldova). In 1996, the Customs Union was created, uniting the economic space of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan (later Tajikistan joined them. In October 2000, on the basis customs union The Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC) was formed. Military-political associations (for example, the Collective Security Treaty) continue to form among the CIS member countries. In September 2008, after the conflict in South Ossetia Georgia has announced its desire to secede from the commonwealth.
Form government structure (administrative-territorial structure of states) is an important element political map peace. It is directly related to character political system and the form of government, reflects the national-ethnic (in some cases also religious) composition of the population, historical and geographical features of the formation of the country.
There are two main forms of administrative-territorial structure - unitary and federal.
Unitary state - is a single integral state entity, consisting of administrative-territorial units that are subordinate to the central authorities and do not possess signs of state sovereignty. In a unitary state, there is usually a single legislative and executive power, a single system of government bodies, and a single constitution. There are an overwhelming majority of such states in the world.
Federation - a form of organization in which several state entities, legally possessing a certain political independence, form one union state.
Characteristic features of the federation:
The territory of the federation consists of the territories of its individual subjects (for example, states - in Australia, Brazil, Mexico, Venezuela, India, USA; provinces - in Argentina, Canada; cantons - in Switzerland; lands - in Germany and Austria; republics, as well as other administrative entities (autonomous okrugs, territories, regions - in Russia);
Federal subjects are usually given the right to adopt their own constitutions;
The competence between the federation and its subjects is delimited by the union constitution;
Each subject of the federation has its own legal and judicial systems;
In most federations there is a single union citizenship, as well as the citizenship of the union units;
A federation usually has unified armed forces and a federal budget.
In a number of federations, the union parliament has a chamber representing the interests of members of the federation.
However, in many modern federal states the role of general federal bodies is so great that they can essentially be considered unitary rather than federal states. Thus, the constitutions of such federations as Argentina, Canada, the USA, Germany, Switzerland do not recognize the right of members of the federation to leave it.
Federations are built on territorial (USA, Canada, Australia, etc.) and national characteristics (Russia, India, Nigeria, etc.), which largely determine the nature, content and structure of government.
Confederation - it is a temporary legal union of sovereign states created to ensure their common interests (members of the confederation retain their sovereign rights in both internal and external affairs). Confederate states are short-lived: they either disintegrate or turn into federations (examples: the Swiss Union, Austria-Hungary, as well as the USA, where a federation of states was formed from a confederation established in 1781, enshrined in the US Constitution of 1787).
Most states in the world are unitary. Today only 24 states are federations (Table 4).
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. 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 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
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 the domestic and foreign policies of his country. The most striking example of such a monarchy is 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. Indeed, even in the most, 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, she 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. (as well as formally 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's interesting 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 this country are present on all continents of the planet, except Antarctica. These are the gray-haired wealthy states of old Europe, and the young richest
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.
They differ in many ways from their historical predecessors. They take up little space on the planet, but have a significant impact on the state of affairs in the world. There are only six countries in which power entirely belongs to the monarch: one (Vatican) in Europe, another in South Africa (Swaziland) and four in Asia (Brunei, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar). States with an absolute monarchy located in Asia represent an interesting phenomenon - the existence of a monarchical form of government in its absolute version in modern realities. Each absolute monarchy has its own characteristics, unique to it, determined mainly by the place that the monarch occupies in the system of governing bodies of his state.
Brunei
A small but oil and gas-rich state on the northwestern coast of Borneo is ruled by a sultan, whose power is inherited. Hassanal Bolkiah is the head of state, minister of defense and finance, prime minister and religious leader of Muslims. The monarch appoints and controls ministers, members of the Privy and Religious Councils, as well as the Council of Succession. The Sultan does not have legislative power, but he appoints members of the Legislative Council. As a rule, countries with absolute monarchies located in Asia are rich. In terms of the standard of living of the population, Brunei occupies one of the first places in the Asian region.
Oman
Another example of an Asian country with a monarchy is Oman, whose Sultan has been Qaboos bin Said since 1970. Under this ruler, who came to power after overthrowing his father from the throne, the sultanate from a country firmly rooted in the Middle Ages (the whole country had one small hospital, 3 schools for boys and 10 km of roads) turned into a prosperous modern state. Like other countries with an absolute monarchy, Oman is distinguished by the rigidity of the regime. His Majesty Qaboos bin Said holds the portfolios of Minister of Defence, Finance, Foreign Affairs and Head of Government. He was the first of the Arabian sultans to introduce a Constitution in the country. The governance system includes the State Council, whose members are appointed by the Sultan, and an elected body - the Shura Council, the head of which is also appointed by Qaboos bin Said. The "poorest" of Asia's absolute monarchs is worth more than $9 billion.
Saudi Arabia
The largest state on the Arabian Peninsula, Saudi Arabia, which has enormous oil reserves, is ruled by King Abdullah. The ruler of this country with an absolute monarchy is the oldest active monarch on the planet and will celebrate his 89th birthday on August 1. According to the Basic Law of the Kingdom, the head of state, whose power is limited only by Sharia law, is subject to all branches of government. The country has a kind of parliament - the Constitutional Assembly, whose members are appointed by the king. Political parties, rallies, any discussions of the political system, alcohol and drugs are strictly prohibited here. The punishment for murder, "witchcraft" and blasphemy is the death penalty. King Abdullah is the richest absolute monarch in the world. His fortune (about 63 billion dollars) is second only to that of the Queen of England.
Saudi Arabia's southern neighbor, the state of Qatar, a major exporter of gas, oil and petroleum products, is ruled by Emir Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani. His power is limited solely by Sharia law. There are no political parties in the country, and the right of appointment to key positions in public administration belongs only to the emir.