Concept
Monarchy
Overview
A monarchy is a hereditary form of government in which political power is legally passed on to the family members of the monarch, a head of state who rules for life. While monarchs gain their power depending on specific succession laws, they can also gain their authority via election.
Monarchies have historically been a common form of government. Nearly half of all independent states at the start of the 19th century were monarchies. After reaching a peak in the middle of the 19th century, the proportion of monarchies in the world has steadily declined. Republics replaced many monarchies, notably at the end of World War I and World War II.
There are conventionally two types of monarchy: absolute monarchy and constitutional monarchy. Absolute monarchies, of which there are approximately twelve, are governed as autocracies. Most of the modern monarchies are constitutional monarchies, retaining under a constitution unique legal and ceremonial roles for monarchs exercising limited or no political power, similar to heads of state in a parliamentary republic.
As of 2025, forty-three sovereign nations in the world have a monarch, including fifteen Commonwealth realms that share King Charles III as their head of state. Other than that, there is a range of sub-national monarchical entities.
Overview adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for authors).
Possible passages
Found by search and not yet checked by a person; they may only mention the idea in passing.
We found, on general grounds, that monarchy is suitable only for great States, and this is confirmed when we examine it in itself. The more numerous the public administration, the smaller becomes the relation between the prince and the subjects, and the nearer it comes to equality, so that in democracy the ratio is unity, or absolute equality.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau, The social contract & discourses
The chapter “MONARCHY” is titled for Monarchy; states what Monarchy is.
The work indeed is difficult, and I am attempting what is beyond my strength; but I trust not in my own powers, but in the light of that Bountiful Giver, "Who giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not." II.--First, therefore, we must see what is it that is called Temporal Monarchy, in its idea, so to speak, and according to its purpose. Temporal Monarchy, then, or, as men call it, the Empire, is the government…
R. W. Church, Dante. An essay. To which is added a translation of De Monarchia.
Names Monarchy several times; states what Monarchy is.
From hence arose the several orders, with or without a monarch (which are called states), in every European country; the strong traces of which, where monarchy predominated, were never wholly extinguished or merged in despotism. In the few places where monarchy was cast off, the spirit of European monarchy was still left. Those countries still continued countries of states; that is, of classes, orders, and…
Edmund Burke, Selections from the Speeches and Writings of Edmund Burke
States what Monarchy is; names Monarchy several times.
Philosophers who discussed Monarchy
Related ideas
- French Revolution
- Outline of ancient India
- Charles III
- Holy See
- Herodotus
- Japan
- Jamaica
- Reactionary
- Bahrain
- Monarch
- Mesopotamia
- Netherlands
- Norway
- North Korea
- Classical radicalism
- Papua New Guinea
- Bhutan
- Republic
- Republicanism
- Solomon Islands
- Spain
- Los Angeles Times
- Thomas Paine
- United Kingdom
Opposing perspectives
- American Revolution
- Oligarchy
- Republic
- Roman Republic
- Aristocracy
- Monarchy of the United Kingdom
- Fairy tale
Place in the tradition
Part of Anaximander.