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A monarchy, (from the Greek "monos archein", meaning "one ruler") is a form of government that has a monarch as Head of State. The distinguishing characteristic of monarchies is that the Head of State holds his office for life, unlike in republics, where presidents are generally elected for a certain amount of time. The term monarchy is also used to refer to the people and institutions that make up the royal establishment, or to the realm in which the monarchy functions.
This article is part of the
series on Politics
Politics
Political philosophy
Systems:
aristocracy, autocracy,
democracy, despotism,
monarchy, oligarchy,
plutocracy, theocracy
and tyranny.
In most countries with monarchies, the monarch serves as a symbol of continuity and statehood. Many states have a strong convention against the monarch becoming involved in partisan politics (the Central African EmpireThe Central African Empire was the name of the Central African Republic when president Jean-Bedel Bokassa declared himself Emperor Bokassa in 1977. Bokassa spent over 20 million dollars, a quarter of the country's annual income, on his coronation ceremony was an exception). In some cases, the symbolism of monarchy alongside the symbolism of democracy can lead to division over the apparently contradictory principles.
Monarchies are one of the oldest forms of governmentA government is an organization that has the power to make and enforce laws for a certain territory. There are several definitions on what exactly constitutes a government. The government has been defined as the dominant decision-making arm (the policy el, with echoes in the leadershipIn common usage, leadership generally refers to: the position or office of an authority figure, such as a President a group of influential people, such as a union leadership guidance or direction, as in the phrase "the emperor is not providing much leader of tribal chiefsViewed historically or developmentally, a tribe consists of a social formation existing before the development of, or outside of, states. Many people use the term to refer to any non- Western or indigenous society. Some social scientists use the term to r. Many monarchies began with the monarch as the local representative and temporary embodiment of the deity: king of Babylon. The monarch often ruled at the pleasure of the deity and was overthrown or sacrificed when it became apparent that supernatural sanction had been withdrawn: emperors of China, Mayan kings, Achaemenid kings of Persia. Other monarchs derived their power by acclamation of the ruling or of the warrior caste of a clan or group of clans: kings of the Franks, Roman emperors. Even where law is simply the monarch's will, the king must rule by custom.
Some monarchs rule absolute monarchies, where a constitution may be granted or withdrawn, in a society with technologies that allow the concentration and organization of power but not enough for educationEducation encompasses teaching and learning specific skills, and also something less tangible but more profound: the imparting of knowledge, good judgement and wisdom. One of the fundamental goals of education is to impart culture across the generations ( and rapid communicationCommunication is the process of exchanging information usually via a common system of symbols. Communication" is the academic discipline which studies communication. Forms of communication Animal communications Interpersonal communications Marketing Propa to flourish. The economic structure of such monarchies is that of concentrated wealth, with the majority of the population as agriculturalFarming, ploughing rice paddy, in Indonesia Agriculture is the process of producing food, feed, fiber and other desired products by cultivation of certain plants and the raising of domesticated animals (livestock). Agriculture is also known as farming . serfA serf is a laborer who is bound to the land. Serfs differ from slaves in that serfs cannot be sold apart from the land which they work. Typically, when serfdom prevailed, the land itself could not be sold because it was associated with political powers (s. Such monarchies may rule by divine right yet without executive power: emperor of Japan. Other monarchies, notably among the Germanic peoples, began as ad hoc coalitions between clans, forming the natural basis for elective monarchies, the elections often taking place at the Ting. In such a system territorial magnates (and free men ) could have more influence.
Since 1800, many of the world's monarchies have ceased to have a monarch and become republics, or become parliamentary democracies. Democratic countries which retain monarchy have by definition limited the monarch's power, with most having become constitutional monarchies. In England, this process began with the Magna Carta of 1215, although it did not reach democratic proportions until after the English Civil War. Among the few states that have absolute monarchies are Swaziland, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. In Jordan and Morocco, the monarch retains considerable power. There are also recent ( 2003) developments in Liechtenstein, wherein the regnant prince was given the Constitutional power to dismiss the government at will.
In some cases, a hereditary monarchy exists, but actual power resides in the military. This has often historically been the case in Thailand and Japan. In Fascist Italy a monarchy coexisted with a fascist party for longer than such coexistences occurred in Romania, Hungary or Greece.
There have also been situations in which a dictator has proclaimed himself monarch in a republican state, thus starting a self-proclaimed monarchy with no historical ties to a previous dynasty. The most famous example of this was Napoleon Bonaparte who made himself Emperor of France after assuming control of the French Republic.
On several occasions throughout history, the same person has served as monarch of separate independent states, in a situation known as a personal union. An empire was traditionally ruled by a monarchy whose leader may have been known by different titles in his different realms. Several of former colonies of the British Empire, such as Australia, Canada, Jamaica, and New Zealand, continue to recognize the British Monarch as their own, albeit under a separate title for each country. In other cases, such as England and Scotland a personal union was the precursor to a merger of the states.
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