European monarchs of the 20th century. Countries with a monarchical form of government Monarchies of Europe dates of reign in AD

02.02.2022 Hypertension

Reading historical novels with the constant presence of states ruled by kings, emperors, pharaohs, shahs, sultans, grand dukes and dukes, one thinks that this is all a distant past. For generations, brought up on an atheistic, socialist and who knows what idea now, the citizens of Russia have forgotten that the monarchy is still strong all over the world - power from God. In different states, it is still legitimate and respected by the majority of its people. This article will tell you in which countries the monarchy has been preserved and how firmly it holds power in changed conditions.

Rulers of Europe, Middle East

The undoubted leader of monarchs around the world in terms of authority, length of time on the throne, and the power of their country with dominions throughout the planet, over which the Sun still does not set, is the Queen of Great Britain, the head of the British Commonwealth of Nations, Elizabeth II. She has ruled since 1952.

An interesting fact is that the representative of the ruling dynasty is not only the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, but also the head of the Anglican Church. Apparently, the Windsor monarchs solve with an iron hand not only worldly problems, but also religious matters, leaving nothing outside their control.

Despite the authoritarianism of Elizabeth II, the question of which countries have an absolute monarchy does not apply to her. In Great Britain there is a parliamentary monarchy, when in this case the queen's power is limited by the constitution, she performs mainly representative functions. It’s just hard to believe this.

The parliamentary type of constitutional monarchy is also in Denmark - since 1972, Queen Magrethe II, Sweden - since 1973, King Carl XVI Gustaf.

Kings also rule:

Spain – Philip VI (since 2014).
The Netherlands – Willem-Alexander (since 2013).
Belgium – Philip (since 2013).
Norway – Harald V (since 1991).

Monaco has been ruled by Prince Albert II since 2005. There is a curious situation in Andorra - there are two co-rulers: Prince Joan Enric Vives i Sicilha since 2003 and French President François Hollande since 2012.

In general, the vaunted European democracy against the background of the triumph of the monarchical system that came from time immemorial makes a rather strange impression. Despite the presence of parliaments and other elected institutions of power, the monarchs of many European states are not decorative, but real rulers, respected and loved by their people.

Which countries have an absolute monarchy? These are mainly Middle Eastern countries, such as:

Oman;
Qatar;
Saudi Arabia.

Here, monarchs have truly unlimited power, like the rulers of the past, having the ability to execute and pardon, to rule the country, in accordance only with their own opinion. Perhaps to give a hint of new democratic trends, in some of these countries the people can sometimes express their aspirations through deliberative organizations.

Monarchs of the New World

The form of government in many countries discovered by Europeans and called the New World, long ago and often earlier than the states of the Old World, was already ruled individually by local rajahs, sultans, emirs, as well as kings and emperors.

In which countries does the monarchy still exist today?

Japan. Emperor Akihito. Ruled since 1989. Wants to resign due to health reasons.
Malaysia. King Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah.
Cambodia. Ruled by King Norodom Sihamoni.
Brunei. Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.

Those who have visited Thailand know with what respect and love the people of the country treat their monarch. When there was an attempt to legislatively limit his power, a political crisis erupted in the country, which almost ended civil war. Recently, in October 2016, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who had ruled Thailand since 1946, died and a year of mourning was declared in the country.

The answers to the question - in which countries the monarchy has been preserved - are often very unexpected and provide food for thought. It turns out that half the world lives under the “oppression” of individual rulers, but not only does not create Marxist circles, printing proclamations calling for the overthrow of tyrants, but sincerely loves their monarchs, members of the ruling dynasties. For example, in the UK, Thailand, and.

Another distinctive feature is that no monarchy in Europe is absolute, which once again emphasizes the high level of European democracy. However, the Vatican is, from a legal point of view, an absolute monarchy. This is the most microscopic (territory - 0.44 sq. km, population - about 1000 people) state Western Europe, with a huge history and an interesting form of government. The head of state is the Pope, who is elected to his position by the College of Cardinals for life. The Pope has full legislative, executive and judicial power. Under him (under the Pope) there is a legislative body (the same College of Cardinals). The most interesting thing is that the Vatican practically has its own Constitution, or more precisely, the Constitutional Acts of the Vatican City State of June 7, 1929.

Based on the above facts, it turns out that due to the presence of all three levers of power by the Pope, the Vatican monarchy is absolute; the fact of a state church makes it theocratic, and the presence of constitutional acts makes it semi-constitutional. That is, in the Vatican there is an absolute theocratic semi-constitutional monarchy.

But when listing these facts, it should be borne in mind that the presence of statehood in a country like the Vatican is just a tribute medieval traditions Europe.

In our time, there is a problem “rich North - poor South”, the same trend can be noticed to one degree or another in monarchies, that is the further south the monarchy is, the more absolute it is. So from the northern monarchies one can cite the example of Sweden. This is a Northern European monarchy, which is even more limited than the English monarchy. The monarch in Sweden, according to the Constitution of 1974, has practically no powers other than ceremonial ones: to open a meeting of parliament, to congratulate the population of the country on the New Year, etc. Those. the monarch in Sweden is just a symbol of the state on a par with the flag and anthem and nothing more, and according to European principles it is a tribute to tradition. Those. The Swedish monarchy can be called super-parliamentary.

Of the southern monarchies, Brunei can be cited as an example. An Asian state with the beginnings of parliamentarism and constitutionality. In 1984, when Brunei gained its independence, power passed into the hands of the Sultan. In this country there are no clearly defined bodies of legislative and executive power. Only Constitutional Councils, which are a kind of advisory body under the monarch, can act as legislative bodies.

Power in Brunei is concentrated in the hands of one autocratic monarch. Although at the moment Brunei resembles Russia at the beginning of the 20th century, because... The growth of the Brunei liberation movement is now visible.

That is, the Brunei monarchy is essentially absolute with insignificant rudiments of parliamentarism and democracy.

monarchy despotism muslim

Modern European monarchies are perhaps one of the most discussed topics regarding Europe. Some are happy about the preserved traditions of governance and, accordingly, stand strongly for monarchies in the EU, while others are very dissatisfied and call the reigning families a sham and nothing else. And the latter are right in many ways: the royals have forgotten about their responsibilities.

Alexander Zakatov: Monarch - like a conductor

There are still debates in society about the position of the so-called reigning royalty of Europe. Some argue that the European monarchs of our time do not have any real power, being decorative figures and embodying only a symbol of national traditions and past greatness; others believe that monarchs are sent down from above for good purposes.

Quantity or quality?

There are more than 230 states in the world. Of these, only 41 countries have a monarchical form of government. Today, the monarchy is a very flexible and diverse system, ranging from the tribal form operating in Arab states to the monarchical version of the democratic countries of Europe. Europe ranks second in the world in terms of the number of monarchical states. There are 12 monarchies located here. The monarchy is presented here in a limited form - in countries that are considered leaders in the EU (Great Britain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, etc.), as well as an absolute form of government - in small states: Monaco, Liechtenstein, the Vatican. The quality of life in these countries is different. The influence of monarchs on the governance of the country also varies.

Monarchy: good or evil?

Monarchy is not only a form of government, it is a set of certain ideas of state, spiritual and social order. Monarchy is characterized by the principles of unity of command, hereditary power and the primacy of the moral principle. In Orthodoxy, the monarch was perceived as a person sent by God to serve his people. To this we can add that the monarchy is a universal form of organization of a nation, which, in fact, can coexist with most modern socio-economic and socio-political models. But for decades, liberals and socialists have been systematically pursuing the idea that the monarchy is an outdated and outdated form of government, which should be replaced by a republican, more perfect form.

Various considerations have been put forward to support this. Firstly, many countries in the world have already abandoned the monarchy or are maintaining it out of inertia. Monarchs in such countries are only a “beautiful tradition”, without playing any significant role in the domestic and foreign policies of their states. Secondly, proof of the “regressiveness” of the monarchy is the fact that after its fall there were no attempts to return to it. These theories have many adherents. But it cannot be said unequivocally that monarchy is evil, since many European monarchies occupy leading positions in the world.

The moral component of modern monarchs

Some experts, discussing the benefits and harms of the monarchy, cite England, Spain, Sweden and Norway as examples. These countries have retained the normal monarchical regime, and the monarchs in them are not only symbolic figures, but actually govern the state. Proponents of the idea that monarchs in these countries have real authority refer to the basic laws of states, according to which monarchs have serious powers of power. So, for example, the Queen of Great Britain appoints the government, has the right to dissolve parliament, and not a single bill that was passed by parliament is considered valid without the signature of the monarch. Their opponents respond by saying that all these provisions are nothing more than a formality, since power in reality lies in the hands of the party oligarchy. Monarchs must bring high morality to the people and be authorities in society.

Do modern monarchs of Western Europe meet the requirements of the moral ideal? In most cases, the answer to this question (excluding Luxembourg and Liechtenstein) is a resounding no. Moreover, monarchies not only do not respond moral values in the minds of the people, but even condone the propaganda of lack of spirituality. In these monarchical states, sodomy and debauchery flourish, the nation is degenerating, the authority of the Church has reached its lowest level.

So, for example, in the UK, gay pride parades have been held through the streets of London for 35 years, often with the support of the government. Three years ago, about half a million people took part in the London gay pride parade, and approximately 800 thousand Londoners followed the action. Traditionally, organized columns of employees from various British ministries, rescue services and trade unions participate in the parade.

This support from official structures is the best indicator of British attitudes towards homosexuals. Gay politicians themselves today openly declare their gay: Ben Bradshaw, Minister for Culture, Sport and Media; Chris Bryant, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs; Nick Herbert, "shadow minister" environment. The Anglican Church is not in a better position either. Its halls are actively rented out, not only for wedding events, but also for language courses, various sports competitions or interest clubs.

Alexander Zakatov: Monarch - like a conductor

Quantity or quality?

Monarchy: good or evil?

The moral component of modern monarchs

Do modern monarchs of Western Europe meet the requirements of the moral ideal? In most cases, the answer to this question (excluding Luxembourg and Liechtenstein) is a resounding no. Moreover, monarchies not only do not correspond to the moral values in the minds of the people, but even condone the propaganda of lack of spirituality. In these monarchical states, sodomy and debauchery flourish, the nation is degenerating, the authority of the Church has reached its lowest level.

This support from official structures is the best indicator of British attitudes towards homosexuals. Gay politicians themselves today openly declare their gay orientation: Ben Bradshaw, Minister of Culture, Sports and Media; Chris Bryant, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs; Nick Herbert, shadow minister for the environment. The Anglican Church is not in a better position either. Its halls are actively rented out, not only for wedding events, but also for language courses, various sports competitions or interest clubs.

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

Basic forms of government in the modern world

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

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

The most famous monarchies on the planet: Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, Japan, Kuwait, United Arab Republics. Examples of republic 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

There are three types of monarchical countries (there are about 40 of them in the world). 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's no secret that British Queen at the same time he is 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, it is ready to offer society a certain political stability. Indeed, in such countries there is no constant struggle for power (imaginary or real) a priori.

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

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

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

Great Britain is one of the most famous parliamentary monarchies on the planet. (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 is curious that in this amazing country, women are absolutely equal in their political rights with men, which is not at all typical for the states of the Arab world.

Finally

Now you know what a constitutional monarchy is. Examples of 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.