What is a dualistic monarchy? Are they vestiges of the past or our present?

The dualistic monarchy is one of the forms of state government that is now not too widespread. It arose in the distant centuries and now has acquired the status of a political rudiment. Nevertheless, some countries in the world, both European and Asian, are content with such a system of power.

Description of the term

In legal terms, the dualistic monarchy is one of the types of constitutional monarchy. From a practical and theoretical point of view, the monarch has unlimited rights and powers in relation to his state. However, formally, its influence and scope of action are limited by the constitution. This form of government received its name due to the fact that in the country, besides the monarch, there is another equally important person - the minister. The essence of such power implies that none of the orders of the monarch can be implemented before he is confirmed by the minister. At the same time, a certain vicious circle is formed: only the head of the state has the right to appoint a minister, and he can remove him from office. Thus, the dualistic monarchy is, in fact, absolute power, which is passed on to the circle of august persons from generation to generation.

Countries with a similar power structure

In our time, many states have long moved to presidential-parliamentary and other management systems, but some remain true to their past traditions. These are the states in which the dualistic monarchy has survived. Examples of countries can be found on all continents of the Eastern Hemisphere, and now we briefly list them. In Europe, this is Sweden, Denmark, Monaco, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein. In the Middle East - Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, in the Far East - Japan. Some of these countries are simultaneously attributed to an absolute monarchy, where all practical and legislative power belongs to the owner of the throne. Also note that in some powers synonymous constitutional and dualistic monarchy. Examples of countries of this type are Denmark, Sweden, Luxembourg.

What is a constitutional monarchy in its pure form

This term refers to the type of power that is divided into two types. The first is a parliamentary monarchy. Its essence lies in the fact that members of parliament are elected by voting. Which party will gain more votes of people, that will become the basis of the legislative power in the country. The leader of the winning party becomes almost the head of state. The monarch himself in this situation performs a purely formal role. He can participate in decision-making, laws, acts, but his voice is not decisive. Thus, all the responsibility rests with the parliament. The second type is a dualistic constitutional monarchy. Here the monarch already has more solid rights, he approves all laws, acts and decisions, controls the activities of the other management bodies. He also has the right to recruit new people in the sphere of leadership of the country and to dismiss former employees.

Signs of a dualistic monarchy

So, we list the main characteristics by which you can determine whether a country is suitable for this category, or not:

• The head of state is the monarch and other persons exercising power.
• These persons can only elect the monarch, as well as dismiss them.
• The government of the country should be responsible only to the monarch, and not to the parliament.
• The monarch is formally and practically the head of the country. Without it, no decision is taken, it corrects the work of other authorities. In short, his power is almost unlimited.
• The dualistic form of the monarchy is considered a transitional stage between parliamentary and absolute. However, it gravitates more to the second, because, in fact, such a power is in the hands of one person.

A look at the retrospective

This form of state power was once inherent in our country. When rebellious strikes and coups broke out in Russia, and the "eternal" problems of our Motherland-agrarian, national and geopolitical-were aggravated, the dualistic monarchy was temporarily established. This type of government lasted from 1905 to 1917, and it ceased to exist on our lands with the establishment of the Soviet socialist regime.

The most vivid representative of this form of power was also the Austro-Hungarian Empire. From 1867 to the moment of disintegration, a dualistic monarchy was established in this country. At the same time, the state was divided into two autonomous parts, each with its own laws and rules. If you look even deeper into the centuries, you can see that this form of government was throughout Europe and Asia. It was, as it were, a transitional stage from the absolute authority of the king to the parliamentary system, which lasted many centuries.

Conclusion

Let's sum up. The dualistic monarchy is a form of government in which power is exercised by one person. Formally, the monarch coordinates his actions with the parliament and other authorities, but virtually every decision that becomes a law for the whole country is taken by him alone. After all, the ruling person chooses all his employees and advisers himself, and he, even with the slightest disobedience, can fire them. Nowadays such a state apparatus is already considered a rarity. All countries have long switched to a presidential-parliamentary type of government, which is also backed by the people's voices. After all, in order to manage a huge country, especially considering the pace of development of modern society, one must be an extremely strong and incommensurably wise person.