Constitutional Monarchy is a political system in which there is a king or queen and yours powers are limited by the Constitution. The first monarchies were absolutist, that is, in them the sovereign had absolute power.
The Constitutional Monarchy appears as a counterpoint to this model, by determining that the king, as well as other rulers and the entire population, must follow the law.
This political system, also known as the Parliamentary Monarchy, is composed of a head of government and a head of state.
- Head of state: represented by the monarch, his powers are more symbolic.
- Head of government: is the Prime Minister, responsible for the Executive Power in the country.
Most countries that adopt the Constitutional Monarchy have a Parliament, which is the Legislative Power.
What is a monarchy?
Monarchy is a system of government in which the head of state - king or queen - remains in power until the end of his life or his abdication. It is usually a hereditary position, that is, to occupy it you must be born into the royal family.
The Monarchy differs from the Republic - a political system adopted in Brazil - in which the head of state is elected by the people and has a limited mandate.
When did the constitutional monarchy arise?
Between the 18th and 19th centuries, the idea of a sovereign concentrating power and making decisions according to his will began to be questioned by society. This shift in thinking is related to Enlightenment ideals, which defended political and economic freedom and opposed absolutism.
The first Constitutional Monarchy appears in 1688, with the Glorious Revolution in England. The bourgeois class, on the rise in this period, was dissatisfied with the unlimited powers of the monarchs and the lack of participation in the decisions of the state.
After the revolution, the model of Parliamentary Monarchy was implemented, in which power is no longer concentrated in the hands of the sovereign and is now exercised by the Parliament, which is elected by the people. England is, to this day, the main nation that adopts this system of government.
Inspired by the experience of England, societies in other countries with absolutist systems start revolts over regime change. The French Revolution was another famous anti-absolutist movement, but in this case, the system adopted after the victory of the revolutionaries was the Republic.
Representatives in the constitutional monarchy
Constitutional or Parliamentary Monarchies may be different in each country, but normally this system is represented by a head of state and a head of government.
O head of state he is a kind of personification of the State, a symbol of power and representativeness of the country. In the case of England, for example, the head of state is Queen Elizabeth II. In theory, it has several powers, such as calling and dissolving Parliament and authorizing the use of armed forces.
In practice, those who make the decisions in the country are the Prime Minister, who is the head of government, and the Parliament. As the Parliament is chosen by the people and the Prime Minister is recommended by these parliamentarians, not to accept their recommendation would be to disrespect the population's own choices.
O head of government is the representative of the Executive Power in the Constitutional Monarchies. This position takes the lead in planning and executing public policies in the country, such as health and education policies.
Constitutional Monarchy in Brazil
Brazil was a Constitutional Monarchy between the years 1822 and 1889 and began with the Proclamation of Independence by Pedro, who would later call himself Emperor Dom Pedro I. Emperor is another name given to the sovereign in a monarchical regime.
The reign of Dom Pedro I lasted until 1831, when he abdicated the throne. His successor, Dom Pedro II, was 5 years old at the time and until he reached the age of majority, the country was governed by a regency. Second and last emperor in the country, Dom Pedro II remained in power until 1889, when a coup d'état established the Republic.
Countries that adopt the Constitutional Monarchy
In addition to the UK, other nations adopt this system of government. See some examples:
- Saudi Arabia
- Belgium
- Canada
- Denmark
- Spain
- UAE
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Morocco
- New Zealand
- Sweden
- Thailand
See also the meaning of monarchy, parliamentarism and absolutism.
