Introduction
Themonarchyincludestheking,emperor,emperor,sultan,emperor,etc.,astheheadofstate.Intheperiodofslavesocietyandfeudalsociety,themonarchhadsupremepower,andthewillofthemonarchwasthelaw,withoutanyrestriction.Themonarchhasalifelongsystemandishereditary.Thispoliticalsystemhasahistoryoffourtofivethousandyears.Ancientslaveryandfeudalcountriesoftenpracticedthiskindofautocracy.
Accordingtostatistics,countriesthathaveretainedmonarchiessofar:AsiahasMalaysia,Kuwait,Jordan,Oman,Qatar,Bahrain,SaudiArabia,Cambodia,Bhutan,Japan,Thailand,Brunei;EuropehastheUnitedKingdom,Luxembourg,Norway,Sweden,Spain,Denmark,theNetherlands,Belgium,Monaco,Andorra,Liechtenstein;AfricahasMorocco,Lesotho,Swaziland;OceaniahasTonga.
History
Themonarchy(monarchy)isagovernmentforminwhichthemonarch(emperor,emperor,khan,king,prince,sultan,tsar,emir,etc.)istheheadofstate.Underthemonarchy,themonarchisgenerallyhereditaryandservesforlife.
Monarchyistheoldestandmostcommonformofgovernmentinhumanhistory.Itisnotonlythemainformofpowerorganizationinslaveryandfeudalcountries,butalsoadoptedbyafewcapitalistcountries.Thespecificformofthemonarchyisnotsingle,norisitstatic.
Slaverycountriesgenerallypracticemonarchy,suchasancientEgypt,Babylon,China'sXiaShangandWesternZhou.Autocraticmonarchyisalsothemostimportantformofpoliticalpowerorganizationinfeudalcountries.InEuropeanfeudalsociety,monarchyinmanycountrieswastransformedfromaristocraticmonarchythroughhierarchicalmonarchy.Inthecapitalistperiod,themonarchywastheproductofthecompromisebetweenthebourgeoisieandthefeudalaristocracy.Themainmanifestationwastheconstitutionalmonarchy,whichwasdividedintothedualconstitutionalmonarchyandtheparliamentaryconstitutionalmonarchy.Themonarchyisdeclininginmoderntimes.
Methodofproduction
Hereditary
Thehereditarymonarchyisthemostcommonformofmonarchy.Mostexistingandever-existingmonarchiesintheworldadoptthistypeofgovernment.Theoppositesystemistheelectoralmonarchy.
Inthehereditarymonarchysystem,allthemonarchscomefromthesamefamilyorclan,andthethrone(monarchpower)ispassedfromonemembertoanotherwithinthefamily(usuallyfromfathertoson,oritmaybeBrotherChuandi,UncleChuannephew,etc.).Thehereditarysystemhastheadvantagesofpoliticalstability,goodcontinuityandpredictability,whichcomesfromtheloyaltyandaffinitybetweenfamilymembers.
Forexample,whenahereditarymonarchdiesorabdicates,thethroneisusuallypassedontothenextgenerationofdirectbloodrelatives,suchashisorherchildren,andoftentheolderones.Whenthechilddies,thethronewillbepassedontohischildren;ifthepersonisextinct,itwillbepassedontohisbrothers,sisters,nephewsorotherrelatives.Inordertomaintainthissystem,hereditarymonarchiesoftenneedtoformulateaclearorderofsuccessioninlegalformtodeterminewhohasthehighestprioritytobecomethenextmonarchafterthedeathofamonarch.Theorderofinheritanceadoptedbymodernhereditarymonarchiesisusuallybasedontheeldestson'sinheritance,butthereareotherinheritancesystems,suchastheoldestmalerelativeinheritance,thesurvivingmonarchdesignatedinheritance,andalternateinheritance.Thesesystemsareinthepreviousmonarchyregimes.Theapplicationismorecommon.
Therehavebeenmanyinheritancesystemsinhistory,andthedifferencebetweenthemismainlyinwhetherwomencanhaveinheritancerights.Inthepatrilinealinheritancesystem,therightofinheritanceismonopolizedbymen,womenhavenorighttoinherit,andtheirmaleoffspringalsohavenorighttoinherit.ThemosttypicalembodimentofthissystemistheSalicCodeoftheAncientFranks.ButtheoriginalintentionoftheSalickCodewasnottodeprivewomenofinheritancerights,buttopreventthelandfromfallingoutofthevillageduetowomen'smarriage.Incontrast,someinheritancesystemsallowwomentobecomeheirs.
Election
Itisimportanttopointoutthatsomeelectoralmonarchiesareactuallyhereditarymonarchies,forexample,whenallcandidatescanonlycomefromonefamily.Thishasappearedinmanyancientcountries,andisoftentransformedfromagenuineelectoralmonarchy.Acommonsituationisthatthemonarchusespowerandinfluencetomakehisrelatives(suchashisson)beelectedasthenextmonarch"inadvance"whileheisstillinpower.Anothersituationisthatinthehistoryofacertainfamily,multiplemembershavebeenelectedasthemonarch,andapowerfulforcehasgraduallyaccumulated,sothattheycanfinallymonopolizethethrone(becausenoonedaredtoelectanyoneoutsidethefamily).
InWesternEuropeinthelateMiddleAges,manycountrieswerenominallyelectivemonarchies,butthecountry’sthronehasactuallybeenheldbyafamilyforcenturies.Thissituationcanbecalleda"pseudo-electedmonarchy",whichonlyhasanofficialformofelection,butinessencethethroneishereditary.Afterenteringmoderntimes,mostofthese"pseudo-electedmonarchies"countrieshavebecometruehereditarymonarchies.
ThecountrythatimplementselectoralmonarchyintheworldtodayisMalaysia.
Governmentform
Monarchycanbedividedintoinfinite(absolute)monarchyandlimitedmonarchy.Thetypicalexampleofinfinitemonarchyisthemonarchy.Limitedmonarchyincludeshierarchicalmonarchyandconstitutionalmonarchy.
Thefollowingarethecharacteristicsandhistoricalconditionsofthespecificsystemsofeachmonarchy.Ihavedividedthemintosectionsandexplainedthemindetail.
Themonarchyappearedinthefeudalera,andChinabeganinXia.WesternmonarchsareverydifferentfromEasternmonarchs.Eveninthefeudalperiod,therelationshipbetweenWesternmonarchsandhislords,thatis,theirsubordinates,isjusttherelationshipbetweenbrothersandyoungerbrothers.Theyareacontractualrelationship,andthereisnoeasternmonarch.Thatkindofpower.
AbsoluteMonarchy
AbsoluteMonarchyisadictatorialpoliticalsystemandformofgovernment(politicalform),therulerofthemonarch(oftencalledemperororking,womencalledempressorqueen)Hasallthepowertorulethecountryandthefreedomofsubjects,andthereisnolaworlegalproceduretotellthemonarchhowtoexercisepower,butthebehaviorofthemonarchmayberestrictedbycertainreligionsortraditions.
Themonarchyisanauthoritarianregime,andthethroneisproducedbyhereditarymethod.Inamonarchydictatorship,themonarchhasthegreatest,generallysupremepower.Mostdictatorialmonarchsarehereditary,andafewareelected(suchastheemperoroftheHolyRomanEmpire).Sometimes,inamonarchy,themonarchisnotonlyasecularleader,butalsoareligiousleader.
TheabsolutemonarchyoftheEuropeancontinentisoftencalledthemonarchyinChinese,whichiseasytoconfusewiththeimperialdespotismoftheancientEasterncountries.
Inabourgeoiscountry,themonarch(king,emperor)isthehereditaryheadofstate,butthepowerofthemonarchisrestrictedtovaryingdegreesbytheconstitutionandparliament.AfterBritain's"GloriousRevolution"in1688,theworld'sfirstconstitutionalmonarchy(parliamentary)statewasestablished.Sincethen,countrieswithweakerbourgeoisieandreformshaveimitatedtheBritishconstitutionalmonarchy.However,duetothedifferencesinthepoliticalandeconomicconditionsandtherelationshipbetweenclassforcesinvariouscountries,thedegreeofcompromisebetweenthebourgeoisieandthefeudallandlordclassisdifferent,andthestatusandpowerretainedbythemonarcharealsodifferent.Constitutionalmonarchyhastwospecificforms:dualisticconstitutionalmonarchyandparliamentaryconstitutionalmonarchy.
Monarchy
Theformofgovernmentthatimplementsthedictatorshipofthemonarchy.Themainfeatureis:themonarchhasunlimitedpower,hiswillisthelawofthecountry,andhissubjectsmustabsolutelyobey.Themonarchreliesonbureaucraticandmilitaryinstitutionstomaintainhisautocraticruleandcruellyexploitandoppressthepeople.Chinaisoneofthecountrieswiththelongesthistoryofmonarchyintheworld.FromtheestablishmentoftheXiaDynastyinthe21stcenturyBC(the"feudalsystem"or"feudalsystem"atthattime),untiltheoverthrowoftheQingDynastybythe1911Revolutionof1911,monarchywasbasicallyimplemented.
Limitedmonarchy
Hierarchicalmonarchy
ThemonarchsofthefeudalcountriesofWesternEuroperuledbymeansofhierarchicalrepresentative(representative)institutionsTheformofgovernmentisthetransitionfromfeudalseparatistregimetofeudalcentralization.ProducedintheEuropeanMiddleAges.Atthattime,thesocialeconomyunderwentmajorchanges.Thefeudalseparatismbecameanobstacletothedevelopmentofcommerceandhandicrafts,andtheemergingbourgeoisiebecameanimportantpoliticalforce,urgingtochangethepoliticalsituationofthefeudalvassalseparatismandunifythecountryunderthepowerofthemonarch(king).Itsmainfeatureis:theestablishmentofaclassrepresentativeconferencecalledbythekingandattendedbyrepresentativesofnobles,monksandcitizens.TheHierarchicalRepresentativeConferenceisthestatutorylegislativeadvisorybodyforthemonarch,aformofpoliticalalliancebetweenthemonarch,aristocrats,andtheupperechelonsofthecitizens,andatooltoopposefeudalseparatismandstrengthenroyalpower.Sincethe13thcentury,Spain,Portugal,Germany,BritainandFrancehavesuccessivelyimplementedhierarchicalmonarchies.Franceisamodelofhierarchicalmonarchy.
ConstitutionalMonarchy
DualConstitutionalMonarchy
TwoTheelementaryconstitutionalmonarchy,referredtoasthedualmonarchy,meansthatunderthepremiseofaconstitutionalmonarchy,thepowerofthemonarchisgreaterthanthatoftheparliament.Allmajorlawsanddecreesmustbesignedbyit,andtheyoftenhavethepowertoappointtheprimeministerandmembersoftheupperhouse.Color,notseparationofchurchandstate.
ThedualmonarchyoriginatedinmodernEuropeanmodernization.Fromtheperspectiveofthegovernment,therearetwoformalcontradictorydirectionsthatproceedatthesametime.Thisistheestablishmentofthecentralizationofthenation-state,andtherelativeTheaffirmationoffreeanddemocraticprivatepropertyisunderstoodinlatergenerationstobetheresultofthedevelopmentofcivilsocietyandrationalism,soitcanbeacceptedthatthegovernmentoperatesindependentlyoftheprincipleofprofit-making,andfocusesonnationaldefenseandforeignaffairs.
However,Europeancountriesthatonlybegantomodernizelater,inordertoexpandthepowerofthegovernmentandtoabsorbpeoplewithdifferentideasinsociety,inordertoadvancetothegovernmentleveltostrengthentheiroperations,sosomemonarchycountriesareunifiedandAtthesametimeofindependence,itwascompiledintoaconstitutiontoestablishaparliament,butcontrarytothe"emptymonarchrepublic",itisa"emptyparliament"system.
ItisgenerallybelievedthatthedualmonarchyisbasedonthePolish-LithuanianCommonwealthincentralandeasternEuropeinthe16thcentury.However,France,whichmaturedintheNapoleoniceraintheearly19thcentury,waswhenNapoleonbecameemperorduetotheneedsofwar.IhopetomaintainthedemocraticfruitsoftheFrenchRevolution.AnditwaspopularizedbyEuropeinthenineteenthcentury,asimitatedbytheconstitutionaftertheunificationofGermanyandItaly.Anditwasacceptedbymanynon-Europeansocietiesthatstillmaintainedthepiousbeliefsofthepre-Enlightenmentera,suchastheMeijiRestorationinJapanandevenIraninthePahlaviera(beforetheIslamicRevolution).
Butinpractice,thedualmonarchy,becauseitcannottakeintoaccountthepowerstrugglebetweenthemonarchandtheparliamentatthesametime,oftenfallsvictimtoathirdparty’sarmedrevolutionorcoup,suchasJapanandItalyinwartimeorlaterIran,etc.,areconsideredtobeasystemwithunclearpowersandresponsibilities.Therefore,intheearly21stcentury,therearefewcountriesthatstillmaintainadualmonarchy,whichisusuallylimitedtosomemonarchycountriesintheMiddleEast,suchasJordan.
Parliamentaryconstitutionalmonarchy
Parliamentaryconstitutionalmonarchy,referredtoasparliamentarymonarchy.Itisaformofgovernmentinwhichtheparliamentisthecountry'shighestlegislativeorganandthecountry'shighestorganofpower,andthemonarchdoesnotdirectlycontrolthestatepower.Inthisformofgovernment,thecabinetmustbeformedfromtheparliament,usuallybythemajoritypartyoracoalitionofpoliticalpartiesintheparliamenttoformthecabinetandberesponsibletotheparliament.Themonarchonlyperformstheappointmentprocedures.Ifthecabinetlosesthetrustoftheparliament,itmustresignoraskthemonarchtodissolvetheparliament,andthemonarchmustalsoroutinelyexpressconsent.Themonarchisthe"emptyheadofstate",exercisingformalpoweraccordingtothewillofthecabinet,andmainlyperformingritualactivitiesonbehalfofthecountry.Butthemonarchstillretainsaprominentpositionanddignitythatsymbolizestheunityandunityofthecountry,andisstillanindispensablepartofthecountry'spoliticalsystem.AftertheSecondWorldWar,inadditiontotheUnitedKingdom,thecountriesthatimplementedthisregimeincludeSpain,theNetherlands,Luxembourg,Belgium,Sweden,Norway,Canada,Japan,andMalaysia.
Currentsituation
Withtheprogressofthetimes,theroyalfamily'sincreasinglypopularatmospherehasgraduallybeenacceptedbythepublic.ThemonarchsinEuropeandAfricamostly"ruledbutnotruled."Inadditiontoservingastheceremonialheadofstate,theyweremainlyresponsibleforcharitablesocialwork.TheroyalfamiliesofsomemonarchiesintheNetherlandsandNorthernEuropearecalled"bicycleroyals".Manymonarchieshaverepealedlawsthatprohibitroyalfamilymembersfrommarryingcivilians.