We all know that there are various forms of government, including the monarchy. And what is a monarchy, and how, for example, does the power of the English queen differ from the power of the Sultan of Oman? We will try to tell you in detail about this.

Monarchy: what is it?

A monarchy is one of the forms of government in which the supreme power in it partially or completely belongs (formally or in reality) to the monarch - the sole head of this state. A monarch (sultan, shah, emperor, king, king, etc.) usually receives power by inheritance and rules for life.

Based on the above definition, the following main features of a monarchy can be distinguished:

1. The supreme power in the state belongs to one person;
2. This power is received and transmitted by inheritance, according to the principle of blood;
3. Power belongs to the monarch for life;
4. The monarch personifies historical continuity, the unity of the nation, traditions and represents his country in the international arena.

Even in those countries where the power of the monarch is limited by the constitution and he does not actually govern the country, he is still the personification of the supreme state power.

Types of monarchy

According to the volume of restrictions, the monarchy is divided into several types: absolute, constitutional, parliamentary and dualistic.

What is an absolute monarchy?

Under an absolute monarchy, the power of the monarch is unlimited. All authorities are subordinate to him. The states with absolute monarchy are Qatar, Oman, principality of the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia.

What is a constitutional monarchy?

In this form of government, the power of the monarch is limited by the constitution, tradition, or unwritten rules. Constitutional monarchy, in turn, is divided into two forms:

1. parliamentary monarchy. In this form of monarchy, the monarch performs a representative function and does not have real power. The government is subordinate to the parliament, and not to the formal head of state - the monarch. Currently, the states with a parliamentary monarchy are Sweden, Denmark, Great Britain.
2. dualistic monarchy. This is a special kind of constitutional monarchy, in which the power of the monarch is limited by both parliament and the constitution. The monarch has the right to freely make independent decisions within the framework provided to him. This form of government is currently available in Liechtenstein, Monaco, Kuwait, Jordan, Morocco.

Advantages and disadvantages of the monarchy

Monarchy, as a form of government, has the following advantages:

• From early childhood, the monarch is brought up as a future head of state. It develops the qualities of character necessary for this.
• The change of power does not take place under the influence of the interests of some individuals. This ensures that a person for whom power is an end in itself will not come to power.
• Any monarch wants to leave his heirs (son, daughter) a strong, prosperous state.
• The monarchy ensures the unity of power, and therefore makes it stronger.
• The position of the monarch is much higher than that of any party. Therefore, the monarch is not a biased political figure.
• The monarchy provides the best conditions for long-term reforms.
• After the death of the monarch, his successor is always known, which significantly reduces the risk of political upheavals.

The disadvantages of a monarchy are:

• The monarch is not responsible to anyone for his decisions. This can lead to the adoption of erroneous decisions that do not meet the interests of the country.
• A person who is not able to fully manage the state, for example, a child, can become a monarch.
• The monarch is largely dependent on his environment.
• The death of a monarch who has no children can lead to the development of a severe political crisis in the country.
• The position of the monarch above the law makes the entire population dependent on the will of its ruler, in fact, powerless.

MONARCHY - a form of rule-le-tion, under which the supreme power in the state-su-dar-st-ve is completely or partially attached to one -no-mu li-tsu - mo-nar-hu (in a series of slu-cha-ev mo-nar-ham-so-pra-vi-te-lyam), about-la-give-sche-su -ve-re-neither-those-that and is-lya-sche-mu-sya object-of-sub-dan-st-va.

Us-ta-nov-le-nie of the monarchy yav-la-et-sya re-zul-ta-tom race-shi-re-niya of the power of pra-vi-te-la (leader of the tribe-me-ni , soy-for tribe-men, chapter-you ran-not-po-li-tich. about-ra-zo-va-niya), sa-mo-pro-voz-gla-she-niya, in-le- iz-yav-le-niya on-ro-yes.

In antiquity, the monarchy pri-ni-ma-la form of a predominantly non-limited de-spo-tia (most-bo-lea ha-rak-ter-na for go-su- the gift of the Ancient One in a hundred). The highest form of the monarchy in the ancient world became the imperial power in Rome. In the Middle Ages, the most racially pro-country form of rights-le-niya - from-words-but-pre-sta-vi-tel-naya mo-nar-chia . On is-ho-de Sred-ne-ve-ko-vya and in na-cha-le But-in-th time-me-no in Ev-ro-ne ut-verzh-yes-et-sya ab-so -fierce monarchy (see Ab-so-lu-tizm, in Russia - sa-mo-der-zha-vie).

The main monarchic ti-tu-ly: duke, im-pe-ra-tor, prince, king, king, etc., in the countries of Vo-sto-ka - sul-tan, khan , far-ra-on, shah, emir, etc.

In the process of becoming-new-le-niya of ka-pi-ta-lististic societies, the monarchy in many countries would have overthrown-well-that and for-me-not- on the res-pub-li-kan-sky form of rights (see Res-pub-li-ka) whether trans-for-mi-ro-va-las into a constitutional monarchy . In a number of countries (Russia, Germany, Av-st-ro-Hungary, etc.), the monarchy is pa-la in re-zul-ta-te re-vo-lu-ci. One of the forms of monrahia is theo-kra-tia, which is better than the race-pro-country from ancient times and preserves to the present day.

More often than not, the mo-nar-chic power of us-ice-st-ven-naya, when for-mi-ru-there is di-na-stia, but not ex-cl-cha-yut- sya and you-bo-ry mo-nar-ha, in particular, with pre-ry-va-ni di-na-stia. Su-shest-vu-yut three in a row on-follow-before-va-niya: se-nyo-rat-ny (pre-table on-follow-du-is the elder in the ro-du), may-orat-ny (the pre-table on-the-follow-du-is the eldest son of mo-nar-ha) and on-the-follow-before-va-nie according to the right of the first-of-kind-st-va ( the pre-table is re-re-ho-dit to no-similar-to-that-st-vu in one line - his eldest son is next, and the es -if he died earlier than his father, then his eldest son, the next line of the pre-table is re-re-ho-dit to the elder-she-th before-hundred-vi-te-lyu of the next on the elder-shin-st-tu line).

In the si-ste-me, the pre-sto-lo-on-the-follow-dia in the-ve-si-mo-sti from the rights of women is the following types of -mo-ge-ni-tu-ry: sa-li-che-sky (for example, Japan), when the throne of mo-nar-ha can-gut for-no-mother only husband-chi- us; kas-til-sky (Is-pa-niya, etc.), when before-che-ri for-ni-ma-yut the throne, if at-ko-no-go or from-rek-she -go-sya from the pre-sto-la mo-nar-ha there are no sons-no-wei (at the same time, the youngest son has pre-im-s-st-in-before the elder-shas to-che- ryu); av-st-riy-sky, up-to-let-the king-st-in-va-nie wives, if in op-re-de-lyon-nyh in-ko-le-no -yah di-na-stii there is no man-rank (for a long time, but not with-me-nya-et-sya); scan-di-nav-sky (Sweden, etc.), us-ta-nav-li-vayu-shchaya ra-ven-st-in the rights of women and men-rank on the throne by right per- in-rod-st-va.

In the con-sti-tu-qi-on-monarchy, pri-nya-ta con-sti-tu-tion and dei-st-vu-et par-la-ment. Kon-sti-tu-tsi-on-naya monarchy has two different types of no-sti: the dua-li-sti-che-sky monarchy and the par-la-men-tar-naya monarchy.

In the first yuri-di-che-ski su-shche-st-vu-yut two centers of power (from-here-yes - dua-li-sti-che-sky): mo-narch is no longer from-yes-et for-to-us, they get-ni-ma-et par-la-ment, but the management of the state-su-dar-st-vom is on-ho-dit-sya in ru- kah mo-nar-ha (for example, Jor-da-nia, Ku-veit, Ma-rok-ko). He knows the right-vi-tel-st-vo (so-vet, ka-bi-no mi-ni-st-ditch), and it is from-vet-st-ven-but only before him, but not before par-la-men-tom. In addition to that, mo-narch has the right to from-yes-vat the indicated for-to-but-yes-tel-st-in (decrees, dek-re-you, re-sk-rip -you, etc.), someone has not less, but actually more power than law. Dua-li-sti-che-monarchy su-sche-st-vo-va-la in the countries of Europe-ro-py and individual states-su-dar-st-wahs of Asia (Ne-pal, Thailand , Japan) when re-re-ho-de from the ab-so-lute monarchy to par-la-men-tar-noy or mostly par-la-men-tar-noy.

In the par-la-men-tar-monarchy, the right-vit par-tia, in-be-div-shay on you-bo-rach in the par-la-ment: right-vi-tel-st-vo for-mi -ru-et-by this party (a block of parties, having pain-shin-st-in in par-la-men-te) and not-set from-vet-st-ve-ness before par-la-men-tom, but not before mo-nar-hom. Mo-narch dey-st-vu-et “according to the co-ve-tu” of pra-vi-tel-st-va (pre-mier-mi-ni-st-ra), for de-st-via mo-nar -ha, according to the management of the go-su-dar-st-vom, there is no-set from-vet-st-ven-ness of right-vi-tel-st-vo. Par-la-men-tar-ny-my monarchies are almost all the monarchic countries of Europe, Japan, the monarchic countries of So -friend-st-va.

In some countries, monarchies can adopt special forms.

gr. Monarchia - autocracy) - a form of government in which the head of state is the monarch. In the modern world, two historical types of monarchy remain - the absolute monarchy and the constitutional monarchy. The latter exists in two forms, differing in the degree of limitation of the power of the monarch: a dualistic monarchy and a parliamentary monarchy. A special variety of M. is elective, combining elements of M. and the republic. Such a model exists today in Malaysia, where the head of state is the monarch, who is elected for five years by a special meeting of representatives of the monarchical states that make up the federation.

Great Definition

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MONARCHY

in lane from Greek - autocracy) - a form of government in which the supreme power for life (fully - absolute M.) or partially (limited M.) belongs to the sole head of state. M. is a form of government in which the head of state - the monarch (emperor, king, sultan, etc.) has a special legal status. His powers are primary, non-derivative of any power in the state, he acquires his post, as a rule, by inheritance and holds it for life. In its development, M. goes through a number of stages, changing and acquiring new features. The first form of M. was slave-owning M. Initially, it acted in the form of eastern despotism, which many states of the Ancient East had - Babylon, Egypt, India. The monarchical form of government of Ancient Rome, which existed for more than five centuries, differed from the eastern despotism. Specific to the feudal system were early feudal monasteries (from the 11th century BC to the 1st century AD) and class-representative monasteries (from the 10th to the 15th centuries). The latter is characterized by the strengthening of central power, the concentration of the main levers of government in the hands of the monarch, and reliance on the large nobility and wide sections of the urban population. Along with the strong power of the monarch, which was based on a powerful army and an extensive police apparatus, there were representative bodies: in Russia - Cathedrals, in England - the Parliament, in Poland - the Free Sejm, in France - the States General.

Depending on the legal status of the monarch, it is customary to single out absolute and limited M. Absolute M. is characterized by the omnipotence of the monarch and the absence of any representative institutions of power; characteristic (in the terminology of K. Marx) for the slave-owning (for example, Rome of the era of dominance - III century AD) and feudal socio-economic formation. As a rule, the transition from the agrarian to the industrial system in the process of bourgeois revolutions (XVII-XIX centuries) was accompanied by the abolition of absolute M. In legal terms, the monarch is the source of any power, he determines the limits of power in the normative acts he himself issues. At the heart of every law is the will of the monarch. Absolute M. is characterized by the following legal features:

1) concentration in the hands of the monarch of all power (the monarch issues laws, heads the executive branch, administers the highest court);

2) the personification of the state in the person of the monarch. The catchphrase of the French king Louis XIV "The state is me" perfectly characterizes this feature of the monarchy - the individuality of government. A monarchical state is a state in which power belongs to one person, and it uses this power at its own discretion and right. It is characterized by giving power of sacred (divine) origin, endowing it with religious content (a monarch is God's anointed, that is, a person endowed with unlimited power from God. Monarchs were often at the same time the highest spiritual persons); 3) the transfer of power by inheritance and the perpetual nature of its implementation; 4) the release of the monarch from any responsibility (the irresponsibility of the monarch was expressed in the principle "The king cannot be wrong"). Absolute M. in modern conditions is an exception. As a form of government, absolute M. was most widespread in the era of late feudalism. Today it has been preserved only in some countries of the East, where traditional patriarchal forms of social life predominate (for example, in Oman, Qatar, Brunei). As a peculiar form of preservation of the traditions of tribal patriarchal democracy in the pre-instrumental era, absolute democracy is preserved in countries with a fairly high level of economic development and a developed social infrastructure (Saudi Arabia).

The democratization of public life and the desire to limit absolutist power contributed to the emergence of limited monarchy—a form of government in which the power of the monarch is to some extent bound (limited) by law or by the constitution. Depending on the degree of such restriction, dualistic and parliamentary M. are distinguished. Dualistic M. is characterized by the fact that, along with the monarch, who retains legal and de facto independence, there are representative institutions of power with legislative (legislative) and control functions. Executive power belongs to the monarch, who can exercise it directly or through the government (as was the case, in particular, in Russia in the late 19th and early 20th centuries). In essence, we are talking about the principle of separation of powers in the state, although in a very limited form. Although the monarch does not legislate, he is endowed with the right of an absolute veto, i.e. the monarch is free to approve (enforce) or not to approve the law. Only he had the right to issue emergency decrees, equal in force to laws; can dissolve parliament (i.e. abolish the dualistic monarchy). This form of government was most common in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The modern dualistic monarchy, preserved only in the countries of the Middle East (Jordan, Morocco), is characterized by the presence of an elected representative body - the parliament (in Jordan it is the Majlis), which has the right to adopt laws and vote (approval) of the budget. The monarch is the head of state, who simultaneously has prerogatives in the sphere of executive power. He also appoints a ruler responsible to him.

Modern developed states are characterized by a constitutional (parliamentary) form of M. This form of government is somewhat similar to a modern parliamentary republic and is characterized by the legal consolidation in the country's constitution of the principle of separation of powers, while at the same time the principle of the supremacy of parliament over executive power. The monarch in relation to this form of government is nothing more than a symbol of the nation, a kind of decoration. Thus, the Spanish constitution of 1978 (Article 56) recognizes the king as a symbol of the unity and constancy of the state. The Japanese Constitution of 1946 proceeds from the fact that "the emperor is a symbol of the state and the unity of the nation" (Article 1). The legal status of the monarch, figuratively speaking, can be defined as follows - "Reigns, but does not rule." The monarch has no real powers to govern the state. Its functions are mainly representative in nature. The monarch signs all the most important state acts with his signature. However, based on the principle "the monarch is not responsible" (cannot bear political and legal responsibility), such a signature requires a countersignature procedure (signed by the responsible minister or head of the executive branch). The monarch also affixes his signature to the laws adopted by Parliament, sometimes endowed with the right of relative veto, but uses it very rarely. Constitutional (parliamentary) monarchy is a fairly common form of government. It exists in Denmark, the Netherlands, Canada, Austria and other countries (there are about 65 in total).

Modern state practice also knows non-traditional forms of M. These include elective M., which exists in countries where the structures of feudal and traditional society are preserved (Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates). In particular, the head of the Federation of Malaysia is elected by the Council of Rulers, which unites the heads of 11 monarchical states. In the United Arab Emirates, the emirs (heads of the seven principalities of the Persian Gulf that are part of the UAE) elect the President of the UAE.

The so-called theocratic churches are also known, where the head of state, the monarch, is also the head of one or another religious cult representing one of the world's religions. These M. include the Vatican, where the spiritual ruler of the Catholics of the whole world is the head of this state. Elements of this form of government are present in Saudi Arabia, where the head of state - the king performs not only the religious functions of the guardian of the main shrines of the Muslim world, but is also the head of the Wahhabist direction of Islam.

Great Definition

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1) the form of the state; 2) a form of government in which the supreme state power is concentrated in the hands of one head of state - the monarch and will be inherited.

Great Definition

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MONARCHY

from the Greek monos - one, arche - beginning) - a form of government in which the functions of the head of state are transferred according to the principle of inheritance.

It is believed that the monarchy as a form of government appeared in the most ancient tribal societies simultaneously with a change in the method of inheritance of the totem sign - the more ancient method of inheritance through the female line was replaced by transmission through the male line, as indicated by some myths, as well as studies of the social structure of some modern tribes standing on the lowest levels of social development.

Monarchy is the oldest form of government. The basis of the monarchical government was originally based on the sacred possibility of communication of the monarch with the other world and other taboo (sacred, forbidden) possibilities, and the oldest monarchical power was not limited to management in the current sense, but to the fulfillment of certain restrictions that were ritual in nature and sometimes very tough. So, in ancient Egypt during the first dynasties, the main duty of the pharaohs was to participate in ritual processions, and the main function was to announce the beginning of the flood of the Nile; in the XI-XIV centuries. the emperor of Japan had to sit in the throne room for several hours every morning, completely motionless, because his slightest movement threatened to disrupt harmony in the state, wars, floods, fires and other disasters. A number of restrictions, especially during hostilities, were also imposed on the Irish kings, and in Cambodia, where there was a king of fire and a king of water, the restrictions imposed on them were so severe that during the 16th-19th centuries. (i.e., all the time while this process was observed by various missionaries-colonizers) monarchs were appointed literally by force. The same thing is happening today in some tribes of equatorial Africa.

It was the exorbitance of the restrictions imposed on the monarch that led to the separation of the sacred and administrative functions, and, moving to the priestly class, the sacred function placed the priests socially higher than the monarchs, as evidenced, for example, by the caste structure of Indian society, where the Brahmin caste stands above the caste. Kshatriyas, or the formal supremacy of the Pope over the kings of medieval Europe.

However, the partially sacred function of monarchical power has survived to this day, as evidenced by the universally defined ritual (protocol) associated with it, originally created to prevent direct communication between ordinary people and monarchs (taboos and a threat to life) and allowing only communication through intermediaries (priests, ministers). Suffice it to recall the way that existed in Russian society of directly addressing the monarch in the form of a “petition”, which was carried out with strict observance of ceremonial (protective) actions, such as: falling to your knees, bowing your head to the ground as a sign of great fear of possible consequences and, in fact, "beating with the forehead".

Depending on the principle of inheritance of power, the monarchy can be dynastic, tribal and elective.

The tribal monarchy is probably one of the most ancient varieties of the monarchical structure, since it carries the largest number of features associated with the archaic sacral function. Its meaning boils down to the fact that only a member of a certain clan, possessing a certain sacred power, that is, actually possessing great authority, can become a monarch. A similar way of life was characteristic of the pre-Columbian states of Central and South America, as well as numerous tribes of Africa, Australia and Oceania. A partly similar type of monarchy existed in Ancient Greece and Ancient Russia.

The dynastic monarchy probably originated in ancient Egypt. It is characterized by the transfer of power from father to son or to another close relative (for example, to a brother, as was the case in Ancient Russia). This is the most common type of monarchy that has survived and still exists, for example, in Great Britain, Monaco, Denmark, Sweden, Japan (where the dynastic branch of the Mikado has not been suppressed even once in more than a thousand years of the country's history) and in some other countries.

The emergence of an elective monarchy is associated with the refusal of applicants to voluntarily take the place of the monarch, in any case, it is in this form (when the monarch is elected by the council of elders, often by force) that it exists in some tribes of Africa and Polynesia. However, elective monarchy was practiced from time to time in ancient Greece, in ancient Rome, in Byzantium, in Poland and even in Russia, where monarchs were elected several times (repeatedly in Novgorod and then twice in troubled times in Moscow).

However, this method of succession proved to be unviable. Such monarchies, completely devoid of a sacred component, either tend to regain it, acquiring dynastic features (as was the case in ancient Rome, where the consular method of government led to the restoration of the once lost dynastic system), or, conversely, give way to democracy, where the ruler’s belonging to certain blood is not of decisive importance (as in Novgorod, where the monarch was elected mainly for the duration of the war or for other tactical reasons). The France of Napoleon I and Napoleon III is an excellent example of both processes.

The historical varieties of monarchies include patriarchal or traditional monarchies (characteristic of traditional societies); sacred monarchies, or theocracies (where the primary functions of the monarch are priestly or spiritual: for example, Ancient Egypt, the Islamic Caliphate); despotic monarchies emerging in militarized societies (Assyria, Ancient Armenia, the Mongol horde); estate and estate-representative monarchies (for example, pre-Petrine Russia); absolute monarchies based on the delegation of power to bureaucracy in the absence of aristocratic and democratic institutions (France in the 17th century); constitutional monarchies that implement the principles of the "social contract" and separation of powers and limit the power of the king by the constitution; autocratic or autocratic monarchies, in which the monarch is absolutely sovereign and is the sole source of laws, and the state functions in interaction and commonwealth (symphony) with the Church (Byzantium, Russian Empire).

Like any other form of government, monarchy has its advantages and disadvantages. Among the advantages of the monarchy, one should include the independence of the monarch (after all, in the case of election, the head of state owes his election to a power or financial group, which means that during the reign he will defend the interests of this group, and not the people as a whole, which is not the case under a monarchy). In addition, the special legal position of the monarch, which allows you to quickly make important decisions, for example, quickly repeal a harmful law, pardon a convict, etc. (A. Pushkin said in this regard that “there should be one person in the state who is above even the law ").

The supremacy (sovereignty) of the monarch is a quality especially valuable during periods of wars and other crises. Unity of command is in such cases an unconditional blessing. It should be noted, however, that almost all democratic states have a mechanism for delegating emergency powers to presidents or other authorized persons at such special moments.

The most important advantage of the monarchy is its symbolic component. The monarch, as a symbol of the unity of the nation, as its conscience, redeemer and defender, as a person with the highest authority and trust, carries a huge ideological meaning and thus opens the way for important nationwide accomplishments, for mass enthusiasm, for patriotism, for feat.

I. A. Ilyin writes about the fundamental basis of the subjects' trust in the monarch - their confidence that the monarch "himself puts himself before the face of God and himself measures his deeds and decisions by the criteria of divine revelation." In this trust, the tsar and the people are united, putting themselves on the judgment of history.

The monarchy is an important instrument of unification and a symbol of unity, among other things, due to its ability to maintain the informality of relations between the monarch and the subject. In Russia, even addressing the landowner “to you” (as required by the French form introduced at the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th centuries), the Russian peasant continued to address the tsar “to you”. Unlike democracies, which are characterized by frequent changes of power, the monarchy assumes that the person vested with supreme power will be guided in his actions not by concern for the upcoming elections, but by responsibility before God, history and the people.

Another important function of the monarch, as a person above the law, is the function of the highest judge, who can punish, but can also pardon, regardless of the severity of the crime. This, at first glance, insignificant function turned out to be so important that the exclusive powers to pardon became the competence of many elected presidents of the republics. Its echoes can be found in the division of English law into actually 2 branches: the Court of the King and the Court of Honor, which is the result of an attempt to oppose the court "by law" (the court of honor) to the court of "justice" (the king's court).

The advantage of the monarchy is the possibility of effective promotion of the most talented people to leadership positions. In republican systems, the head of state will inevitably be afraid of competition from a talented minister or general, and therefore hold him back. The monarch, by virtue of his position, does not participate in competitive relations, and besides, he himself is interested in nominating talented people to preserve the dynasty and the country. Moreover, the monarch is also the guarantor of the opposition in society. He has nothing to fear from the "freedoms of the people", since they do not threaten him in any way. If they do not encroach on the change of the monarchical system itself, then criticism of the government can be regarded as an important positive function, and the opposition can always find protection from the monarch against the use of the "administrative resource" by the government.

The monarch is also a measure of the idealized ideas of society about honor and dignity, about loyalty and duty, about higher values, adherence to which is a sign of a highly spiritual life of a person. As for the negative features of the monarchy, its main drawback is in itself, in its main principle - the principle of succession to the throne. For if democracy implies at least the theoretical possession of outstanding qualities by the head of state, then the monarch may not necessarily possess them. And this despite the fact that he is invested with supreme power, which turns not only a tyrant and usurper, but also ordinary mediocrity into a great disaster for the people.

The supra-legal and supra-estate position of the monarch, being an indispensable blessing during wars and other upheavals, in a peaceful period can become a source of evil for the citizens of the state. The Byzantine historian Michael Psellos reports that Basil II's half-brother, also Basil, was castrated by his own brother in order to forestall a relative's possible claims to the throne. The historian reports this in such a way that we have no doubt that the actions of the emperor were dictated by the highest state considerations, since there is no most important state consideration for the monarchy than to save the throne.

However, the opposition of dynastic interests to the interests of the state had even more serious consequences in history: suffice it to recall the dynastic wars in Ancient China and Ancient Rome, the Fronde and the revolution in France, the revolution and restoration in England (not to mention the Hundred Years' War and the War of the Scarlet and White Roses). ). It was the primacy of dynastic interests over the interests of the people that led to Russia's involvement in World War I and the subsequent fall of the empire.

Monarchy is often compared to "strong presidential power". However, with all the similarities (broad powers, the right to pardon, the supreme command), there are a number of very significant differences between the monarchy and the presidential republic.

The president is not above the law and, being one of the sources of law, theoretically has the same rights as other citizens. The President is not an object of the sacred sphere and therefore, as it were, delegates some of the functions back to the people, creating a field for greater freedom: freedom of activity or freedom of conscience.

The President is not a measure of nobility and morality, leaving the solution of ethical issues to the conscience of every citizen and turning them into personal ones.

The temporality of the president's stay in power, as it were, shifts the focus of his activity from law-making to law-enforcement, implementation. And the opportunity for everyone to become the head of state or, at least, to take part in elections, as well as their regularity, makes political processes not so painful. After all, the only way for the people to get rid of the king is rebellion, and rebellion is the highest disaster for the state.

Probably due to these shortcomings, the monarchy, especially in its absolute manifestations, is now giving way to the republican method of government.

Approximately 40 states of the world (about 20% of all states) are monarchies. However, due to its merits, it still exists in constitutional forms in many developed countries (including such as Japan, Great Britain, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium, etc.), where it takes on the functions lost for many reasons, local religious institutions, i.e., performing a ceremonial and symbolic role, designed to serve as the embodiment of ideal social ideas about morality and non-material values, about patriotism.

In Russia, the number of supporters of the restoration of the monarchy is steadily growing. According to the latest data, about 20% of Russians consider such a measure a boon for the country.

Great Definition

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The existence of various forms of government in the modern world is due to the historical features of the development of states in different parts of the world. The specific events that took place in the fate of each people provoked changes in the political system and in relation to the government of the country. Thus, forms of government developed in which decisions were made by a kind of popular assembly or any other association of several people. And in some states, only one person had authority and full power, this type of power is called a monarchy.

Monarchy is a form of government in which the supreme state power belongs to one person and, most often, is inherited. The sole ruler is called a monarch, and in different cultural traditions he acquires various names - king, king, prince, emperor, sultan, pharaoh, etc.

The key features of the monarchy are:

• The presence of a sole monarch ruling in the state for life;
• Transfer of power by inheritance;
• The monarch represents his state in the international arena, and is also the face and symbol of the nation;
• The power of the monarch is often recognized as sacred.

Types of monarchy

In modern science, several varieties of monarchical power are distinguished. The main principle of the classification of the concept is the degree of restriction of the power of the monarch. If the king, emperor or any other sole ruler has unlimited power, and all authorities are accountable and completely subordinate to him, then such a monarchy is called absolute.

If the monarch is only a representative person, and his power is limited by the constitution, the powers of parliament or cultural tradition, then such a monarchy is called constitutional.

The constitutional monarchy, in turn, is divided into two branches. The first kind - parliamentary monarchy- assumes only the representative function of the monarch and the complete absence of his power. And when dualistic monarchy the head of state has the right to make any decisions about the fate of the country, but only within the framework of the constitution and other laws approved by the people.

Monarchy in the modern world

Today, many countries still retain a monarchical form of government. One of the most striking examples of a parliamentary monarchy is Great Britain, where the monarch acts as a representative person of a powerful country.

The traditional version of the monarchy, or absolute monarchy, is preserved in some African states, for example, in Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda or South Africa.

The dualistic monarchy survived in such countries as Morocco, Jordan, Kuwait, Monaco and Liechtenstein. In the last two states, the dualistic monarchy is not presented in its pure form, but with some specific features.