Monarchy

__ **What is a Monarchy?** __ A monarchy is a governmental system that has one person as the permanent head of the government until he or she dies or gives up his or her position. Typically, the position of monarch is hereditary, meaning that it is passed on from father or mother to son or daughter. This is the case with famous monarchies like Queen of England. The term is often used to refer to a system of government in which the monarch — such as a king or queen — has absolute authority. That means the King or Queen make all the rules without anyone being able to tell them no. However, there are many monarchies that are limited or constitutional monarchies in which the monarch has to follow a set of rules when making laws.

__**Absolute Monarchy**__
In an absolute monarchy, the monarch has total authority over the government and his or her people. The King or Queen may have some advisors who he may ask for opinions, but the do not make the major decisions. This type of monarchy has become increasingly rare, because many countries are wary of giving one person absolute power. The levels of the citizens' happiness under absolute monarchies can be very different depending on the ruler. A selfish ruler could make horrible laws that are good for them but not for the people. They could also have a great ruler who always looks out for the good of the people.

__**Limited Monarchy or Constitutional Monarchy**__
The monarch's power in a constitutional or limited monarchy is restricted by the country's constitution or other law. This means the King or Queen has to follow a set of rules when making laws. They can't do whatever they want. The monarch usually participates in running the nation, but he or she might have mostly ceremonial powers or might be able to act only with the approval of other elected officials. In a constitutional monarchy, the monarch is often able to turn down laws that he or she feels is not in the best interests of the country. The monarch might also be able to get rid of elected officials if they feel they are not doing a good job.



__**Benefits of a Monarchy**__
One aspect of a monarchy that is considered to be an advantage is that it can reduce or eliminate the struggle for ultimate power within the government. When the head of state must be elected, members of different political parties or factions will compete for the position. This often creates division and conflict within the government. If the head of state serves for life and his or her successor is already known, it might increase the unity within the government. Why Monarchy is Good Thing

1) Tradition and constancy. A monarchy represents something that has been around for 1,000 years. A republic can never have that, as any head-of-state it has will be relatively new. A monarchy is also imminent, meaning it has weathered storms and endured through even the biggest crises.

2) The monarchy doesn’t cost very much. Her Majesty the Queen is only the 50th richest person in the United Kingdom, and costs the taxpayer only 57p a year. 3) The King or Queen can never be corrupted, because they are too rich to be bribed or bullied. So while a Prime Minister or elected official can be corrupt, at least the head-of-state can’t be.

4) The monarchy is the basis of the Commonwealth. There are 83 countries currently in the British Commonwealth, and the Queen is the head of the Commonwealth. Every four years, all 83 countries send representatives to a meeting to have an intellectual exchange. The Queen, of course, is a very experienced politician, having been in power for about 60 years. It is very useful to have a forum for international discussion, and so the Commonwealth is a positive thing.

5) Monarchy is one of the only uniting factors in the United Kingdom. Few things actually unite Ireland, Scotland, England, and Wales, and the monarchy is one of them. Unity is a good thing. One of the main objections to the monarchy is that it is the very pinnacle of a class system. If one is uncomfortable with the idea of a class system, especially a blatant class system with things such as titles and peerages, one is uncomfortable with the monarchy. Silly Americans,