Monarchy. Countries with a monarchical form of government

Modern political science can give a complete description of any form of state (the structure of the political organization of society) based on the form of government, the form of state-territorial structure and the type of political regime.

Forms of government

A form of government is a way of organizing the supreme state power. There are two forms of government - monarchy and republic. Monarchy, in turn, can be of the following types:

• absolute (all executive, legislative and judicial powers are concentrated in the hands of the monarch);
• constitutional or parliamentary (the power of the monarch is limited by the constitution, the real executive and legislative power is in the hands of a parliament elected or formed by the people);
• dualistic (power is divided equally between the monarch and parliament);
• theocratic (power is in the hands of the spiritual leader who heads a particular denomination).

The republican form of government exists in such forms as

• presidential (power is concentrated in the hands of the elected president);
• parliamentary (the country is led by parliament or the prime minister; the president performs only representative functions);
• mixed (power is divided between parliament and the president).

Form of state-territorial structure

Forms of state-territorial structure are a way of interconnection and interaction of individual parts of the state, enshrined in the constitution. There are forms such as

• federation (a union of relatively independent entities subordinate to the political center in all important matters);
• unitary state (a single and indivisible state, consisting only of administrative units);
• confederation (a temporary union of states completely independent from each other).

Political regimes

A political regime is a set of methods and means of exercising state power. There are such types of political regimes as

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• democratic (power is in the hands of the people, civil rights and freedoms are both declared and actually work);
• undemocratic (power is in the hands of the ruling elite, a political minority, civil rights and freedoms are only declared, but do not work in practice).

A non-democratic political regime also has certain subtypes: authoritarian and totalitarian (the difference lies in the level of government control over society).

Most countries of Foreign Europe are republics of various types with democratic political regimes. The Republics of Foreign Europe are France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Austria.

But, despite this, there are a large number of countries in Foreign Europe with a monarchical form of government. How many are there?

Monarchies of Foreign Europe

Which states can be included in the list of “Monarchical countries of Foreign Europe”?

It can be represented as follows.

Fig.1 The ruling royal house of Windsor

The Vatican is not the only state with an elective theocratic absolute monarchy. The second state is Iran, where power was held for a long time by its spiritual leader, Ayatollah Khomeini.

Thus, quite a large number of large European countries are monarchies. Their share is especially large in Northern Foreign Europe (if you look at their location on the map).

Rice. 2 Political map of Overseas Europe

Almost all modern dynasties are connected by blood ties. The royal house of Great Britain, the Windsors, are representatives of both the Saxon-Coburg - Gothic dynasty and the Glucksburg dynasty. The oldest uninterrupted dynasty is the princely house of Grimaldi. The throne has been passed down in a direct line from father to son for 700 years.

Fig.3 Head of the ruling house of Monaco - Prince Albert II Grimaldi

What have we learned?

Most of the monarchical countries of Foreign Europe are constitutional monarchies. This means that all legislative, executive and judicial powers are in the hands of parliament and the elected prime minister or chancellor. The monarch plays a representative role, although he can speak out on key issues of foreign and domestic policy. In some countries, such as Great Britain, the monarch is a significant figure in the political arena. Elizabeth II, the reigning queen, actively intervened in the activities of many prime ministers: Margaret Thatcher, Tony Blair and others.

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In our modern world, 41 states have a monarchical form of government. All these countries mostly belong to the 3rd 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. However, I would like to note that the monarchical system has many faces: from tribal forms of government that are used in Arab states to monarchical forms in many European countries.

List of states with a monarchical system:

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 Wangchuk (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 Arab Emirates UAE - President Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan (since 2004)

Oman - Sultan Qaboos bin Said (since 1970)

Saudi Arabia - King Abdullah bin 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)

A number of republican countries are forced to put up with the presence of local monarchical or tribal formations on their territory. Such countries include: Uganda, Nigeria, Indonesia, Chad and others. The government turns to authoritative monarchs when it comes to resolving religious, ethnic and cultural disputes.

However, the monarchy is not an addition to stability and prosperity, but an additional resource, thanks to which the country can overcome or endure one or another crisis. They are created from time immemorial, their title is passed down from generation to generation.

African autocrats

Benin. Joseph Langanfen, representative of the Abomi dynasty

Nigeria. Igwe Kenneth Nnaji Onimeke Orizu III. Obi (king) of the Nnewi tribe.

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.

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 brave and powerful animals. At night, he can turn into a panther and hunt in a shroud.

Ghana. Ocediyo ado Danqua III. A graduate of the University of London and an economic adviser to the Ghanaian government.

Congo. Nyimi Kok Mabintsh III, King of Cuba. Now he is 50.

South Africa. Goodwill Zwelethini, King of the Zulu.

Nigeria. Oba Joseph Adekola Ogunoye. Olowo (king) of the Ovo tribe.

What is a monarchy? Most often, this word evokes in people associations with something magnificent, majestic and absolute. In this article we will consider not only the general concept, but also the types of monarchy, its purpose and goals both in the centuries-old history of mankind 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:

1. There is a single ruler who is the head of state.
2. The monarch exercises his power from the moment he takes office until his death.
3. The transfer of power occurs through kinship, which is called inheritance.
4. The monarch has every right to govern the state at his own discretion; his decisions are not discussed or questioned.
5. 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:

1. Despotism.
2. Absolute monarchy.
3. Constitutional monarchy (dualistic and parliamentary).
4. 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. The main feature here is that all power belongs exclusively to 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:

1. 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.
2. 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; this is where the monarchy as a form of government has a weak point. 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, the making of 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 state 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:

1. A clearly established succession to the throne helps keep the country in a relatively stable state.
2. A monarch who rules for life is able to do more than a time-limited ruler.
3. 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:

1. 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.
2. 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 important point that is worth discussing - these are 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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.

Note: KM is a constitutional monarchy;

AM – absolute monarchy;

ATM is an absolute theocratic monarchy.

Republican form of government originated in antiquity, but became most widespread during the periods of modern and recent 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 of government bodies, combining in his hands 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.

Under this form of 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), is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and has the right to grant amnesty to convicts.

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 people's democratic republic (former USSR, countries of Eastern Europe before 1991, as well as China, Vietnam, North Korea, 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 most Latin American countries, which 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 XX 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. The CIS is an open organization for other countries to join. 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, the Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC) was formed on the basis of the customs union. They continue to form among the member countries CIS and military-political associations (for example, the Collective Security Treaty) In September 2008, after the conflict in South Ossetia, Georgia announced its desire to leave the commonwealth.

Form of government(administrative-territorial structure of states) is an important element of the political map of the world. It is directly related to the nature of the political system and the form of government, reflects the national-ethnic (in some cases also religious) composition of the population, and the 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).

For many centuries, in almost the entire civilized world, power was organized according to the type of monarchy. Then the existing system was overthrown by revolutions or wars, but there are still states that consider this form of government acceptable for themselves. So, what types of monarchy are there and how do they differ from each other?

Monarchy: concept and types

The word “μοναρχία” existed in ancient Greek and meant “unique power.” It is easy to guess that monarchy in the historical and political sense is a form of government in which all power or most of it is concentrated in the hands of one person.

The monarch is called differently in different countries: emperor, king, prince, king, emir, khan, sultan, pharaoh, duke, and so on. The transfer of power by inheritance is a characteristic feature of the monarchy.

The concept and types of monarchies are an interesting subject for study by historians, political scientists and even politicians. A wave of revolutions, starting with the Great French Revolution, overthrew such a system in many countries. However, in the 21st century, modern types of monarchy successfully continue to exist in Great Britain, Monaco, Belgium, Sweden and other countries. Hence the numerous debates on the topic of whether the monarchical system limits democracy and whether such a state can develop intensively?

Classic signs of a monarchy

Numerous types of monarchy differ from each other in a number of characteristics. But there are also general provisions that are inherent in most of them.

There are examples in history when some types of republic and monarchy bordered so closely on each other in terms of political structure that it was difficult to give the state an unambiguous status. For example, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth was headed by a monarch, but he was elected by the Sejm. Some historians call the controversial political regime of the Republic of Poland - gentry democracy.

Types of monarchy and their characteristics

There are two large groups of monarchies that have formed:

• according to the limitations of monarchical power;
• taking into account the traditional structure of power.

Before examining in detail the characteristics of each form of government, it is necessary to determine the existing types of monarchy. The table will help you do this clearly.

Absolute monarchy

Absolutus - translated from Latin as “unconditional”. Absolute and constitutional are the main types of monarchy.

An absolute monarchy is a form of government in which unconditional power is concentrated in the hands of one person and is not limited to any government structures. This method of political organization is similar to a dictatorship, since in the hands of the monarch there may be not only the fullness of military, legislative, judicial and executive power, but even religious power.

During the Age of Enlightenment, theologians began to explain the right of one person to individually control the fate of an entire people or state by the divine exclusivity of the ruler. That is, the monarch is God's anointed on the throne. The religious people sacredly believed in this. There are known cases when terminally ill French people came to the walls of the Louvre on certain days. People believed that by touching the hand of Louis XIV, they would receive the desired healing from all their illnesses.

There are different types of absolute monarchy. For example, absolute theocratic is a type of monarchy in which the head of the church is also the head of state. The most famous European country with this form of government is the Vatican.

A constitutional monarchy

This form of monarchical government is considered progressive because the ruler's power is limited to ministers or parliament. The main types of constitutional monarchy are dualistic and parliamentary.

In a dualistic organization of power, the monarch is given executive power, but no decision can be made without the approval of the relevant minister. Parliament retains the right to vote the budget and pass laws.

In a parliamentary monarchy, all levers of government are actually concentrated in the hands of parliament. The monarch approves ministerial candidates, but parliament still nominates them. It turns out that the hereditary ruler is simply a symbol of his state, but without the approval of parliament he cannot make a single nationally important decision. In some cases, parliament can even dictate to the monarch on what principles he should build his personal life.

Ancient Eastern monarchy

If we were to analyze in detail the list describing the types of monarchy, the table would begin with ancient Eastern monarchical formations. This is the first form of monarchy that appeared in our world, and it had peculiar features.

The ruler in such state formations was appointed by the leader of the community, who managed religious and economic affairs. One of the main duties of the monarch was to serve the cult. That is, he became a kind of priest, and organizing religious ceremonies, interpreting divine signs, preserving the wisdom of the tribe - these were his primary tasks.

Since the ruler in the eastern monarchy was directly connected with the gods in the minds of the people, he was given quite broad powers. For example, he could interfere in the internal affairs of any family and dictate his will.

In addition, the ancient Eastern monarch monitored the distribution of lands among his subjects and the collection of taxes. He established the scope of work and duties and led the army. Such a monarch necessarily had advisers - priests, noble people, elders.

Feudal monarchy

The types of monarchy as a form of government have transformed over time. After the ancient Eastern monarchy, the feudal form of government took precedence in political life. It is divided into several periods.

The early feudal monarchy emerged as a result of the evolution of slave states or the primitive communal system. As is known, the first rulers of such states were generally recognized military commanders. Relying on the support of the army, they established their supreme power over the peoples. To strengthen his influence in certain regions, the monarch sent his governors there, from whom the nobility was subsequently formed. The rulers did not bear any legal responsibility for their actions. In practice, institutions of power did not exist. The ancient Slavic state - Kievan Rus - fits this description.

After a period of feudal fragmentation, patrimonial monarchies began to form, in which large feudal lords inherited not only power, but also lands to their sons.

Then, for some time in history, an estate-representative form of government existed, until most states turned into absolute monarchies.

Theocratic monarchy

Types of monarchy, differing in traditional structure, include in their list the theocratic form of government.

In such a monarchy, the absolute ruler is the representative of the religion. With this form of government, all three branches of power pass into the hands of the clergy. Examples of such states in Europe have been preserved only on the territory of the Vatican, where the Pope is both the head of the church and the state ruler. But in Muslim countries there are a few more modern theocratic-monarchical examples - Saudi Arabia, Brunei.

Types of monarchy today

The flames of revolution failed to eradicate the monarchical system throughout the world. This form of government has been preserved in the 21st century in many respected countries.

In Europe, in the small parliamentary principality of Andorra, as of 2013, two princes ruled at once - Francois Hollande and Joan Enric Vives i Sicil.

In Belgium, King Philippe ascended the throne in 2013. A small country with a smaller population than Moscow or Tokyo, it is not just a constitutional parliamentary monarchy, but also a federal territorial system.

Since 2013, the Vatican has been headed by Pope Francis. The Vatican is a city-state that still maintains a theocratic monarchy.

The famous parliamentary monarchy of Great Britain has been ruled by Queen Elizabeth II since 1952, and Queen Margrethe II has ruled in Denmark since 1972.

In addition, the monarchical system has been preserved in Spain, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, the Order of Malta, Monaco and many other countries.