is a monarchy a democracy or a dictatorship?

Question

ok thanks for rsponding and I thought that england is a monarchy and being a monarchy when the queen dies wont there be a king and do the kings of england have a good track record while a parlament is in power .I guess what I'm asking is if charles not if but when he becomes king wont he have the ability to disolve parlement?

Answer 1

Monarchy is generally a dictatorship, because the people have no real say in who the ruler is. The exception is a symbolic monarchy, where the monarch is only a figure-head and has no law-making power. In that case, the monarchy has nothing to do with the actual form of goverment (how laws are made).

Answer 2

It isn't that simple. The following from Wikipedia:

A monarchy, from the Greek μονος, "one," and αρχειν, "to rule", is a form of government that has a Monarch as Head of State. A distinguishing characteristic of most monarchies is that the Monarch usually reigns as Head of State for life; in a republic, the Head of State (often called the president) is normally elected for a certain amount of time. There are currently 29 extant sovereign monarchies in the world.

The term monarchy is also used to refer to the people (especially the dynasty, also known as 'royalty') and institutions that make up the royal or imperial establishment, or to the realm over which the monarch reigns.

In most monarchies, the Monarch serves as a symbol of continuity and statehood. Many monarchies are constituted by tradition or by codified law so that the Monarch has little real political power, but in others the Monarch holds substantial power. In some cases, the symbolism of monarchy alongside the symbolism of democracy can lead to divisions over seemingly contradictory principles of sovereignty.

Monarchies are one of the oldest forms of government, with echoes in the leadership of tribal chiefs. Many monarchies began with the Monarch as the local representative and temporary embodiment of the deity: (King of Babylon). The Monarch often ruled at the pleasure of the deity and was overthrown or sacrificed when it became apparent that supernatural sanction had been withdrawn: Celestial Emperor of China, Mayan kings, Achaemenid King of Kings of Persia. Other Monarchs derived their power by acclamation of the ruling or of the warrior caste of a clan or group of clans: Kings of the Franks, Roman emperors. Even where law is simply the monarch's will, the king must rule by custom.

Since 1800, many of the world's monarchies have ceased to have a monarch and become republics, or become parliamentary democracies. Democratic countries which retain monarchy by definition limit the Monarch's power, with most having become constitutional monarchies. In England, this process began with the Magna Carta of 1215, although it did not reach democratic proportions until after the Glorious Revolution in 1689. In the modern media age, however, popular Monarchs can, independently of their formal role within the constitutional framework, through popularity and various contacts, acquire considerable influence via public opinion and/or politicians.

Among the few states that retain a rather absolute monarchy are Swaziland, Brunei, Bhutan, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. In Jordan and Morocco, the Monarch also retains considerable power. There are also recent (2003) developments in Liechtenstein, wherein the regnant prince was given the constitutional power to dismiss the government at will. Nepal had several swings between a constitutional role and direct rule related to the violent Maoist rebel movement and the palace killings by a suicidal crown prince.

Answer 3

In Britain the Crown still owns a lot of land. They are dictators over this land, but like all land owners, management of the land and the people using or on it is ameliorated by delegation and society, but still there is the law and common rights. The current delegated Government is pushing towards controlling this land through their elected mandate. We do not have a written Constitution.

Not only is there democracy (passes laws) but their are rights and responsibilites enjoyed by the citizens. Most individuals are required to comply with the law, but there are a few exceptions to Royalty and the Church of England agents (for some laws). The Monarchy are quite limited in their dictatorship and it nearly brought the end to their inherited position in ther days of "King" Oliver. The people have always been unable to accept infringments of their rights (e.g. the right to collect shellfish and fish from Crown land on the seashore).

Answer 4

Its actually a totally different form of government. An absolute Monarchy is more like a dictatorship. Whereas a constitutional monarch has elemnts of democracy. You can have a Democracy and have a monarch. England, Norway, Greece, etc. And you can have a dictatorship and have a monarch also Italy during WW II.

Answer 5

In today's world, a monarchy is not a democracy or a dictatorship. In centuries past, some monarchies were dictatorships. I don't know of any monarchy that was ever a democracy. A democratic monarchy would be an oxymoron.

Answer 6

No, it is a monarchy, which is a different form of government. Some monarchies can be dictatorial and some are democratic. Two examples: Idi Amin was the dictatorial King of his Uganda. Queen Elizabeth is the Democratic Queen of England.

Answer 7

It depends on whether it's a constitutional monarchy, like England, and the Scandinavian countries, or an absolute monarchy.
A constitutional monarchy is a democracy, whereas an absolute monarch, like the Sultan of Dubai, has absolute power.

Answer 8

the monarchy of Great Britain is PR for the government. They have no real say. That is left up to parliment.

In a true dictatorship the ONLY power is the leader. Noriega in Panama, Saddam in Iraq, Napolean in France, Stalin in Russia, Hitler in Germany, are you getting the picture? Those are dictators. You screwup and it's off with your head.

Answer 9

A monarchy is a rorm of government controlled by ONE person. No way, shape, or form is it a democracy. The monarch is the supreme ruler, what he says goes. I would be closer to a dictatorship.

Answer 10

Dictatorship-and a Right leaning dictatorship.

The first liberal Democrats of Massachusetts fought the British at the Boston Tea party.The Conservative loyalists,who would prefer to sit to the right of the British Prime Minister,upheld the rule of King George.

Wait a minute.History has repeated itself!