Monarchy vs. Democracy
Monarchy and Democracy have survived side by side for the last few centuries. Even today democracy survives and thrives in the United States of America, and monarchy thrives in the United Kingdom. These two nations, both of which being super powers, have succeeded in their respective forms of government and have done so for over two hundred years. How have these two very successful nations survived with two very different forms of government? Both the United States and the United Kingdom have perfected their forms of government, however, the democracy in the United States gives people a unique opportunity to truly take part in their government in a way that the United Kingdom’s monarchy does not.
A monarchy is a form of government where there is undivided rule or complete sovereignty by a single person. (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/monarchy) The United Kingdom has had one monarchy to rule the entire United Kingdom since 1603 when King James VI of Scotland took the English throne. Before King James’ rule the monarchy had been shared. Separate monarchies were formed to rule Scotland and another to rule England. King James’ dynasty, the Stuart dynasty, ruled from 1603 to 1714. Towards the end of the Stuart dynasty it was decided that only Protestants could hold the throne and after the death of Queen Anne, power shifted to King George I of the Hanoverian dynasty. The Hanoverian dynasty which lasted until 1901 saw a “period of expansion and stability”. This was the dynasty in which the great Queen Victoria acquired the vast Empire that Britain had come to be known for. With the marriage of Queen Victoria came the House of Saxe – Cobourg – Gotha, which only lasted until after World War I, after which the current House of Windsor came to power, which still rules to this day. (http://www.royal.gov.uk/HistoryoftheMonarchy/HistoryoftheMonarchy.aspx)
Throughout the change of dynasties, there was also a change in the way the government was run. Currently the United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy. A constitutional monarchy is a monarchy with limited power that shares is power with a constitutional government that actually controls most of the government. In a constitutional monarchy, the king or queen had very limited power, and is usually only a ceremonial figure. In the United Kingdom, the Parliament, holds the majority of the power and makes most major decisions regarding the country. (http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/689632/constitutional-monarchy)
The United States of America has been a democracy since the country’s fight for independence starting in 1776. By definition, a democracy is “a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system. (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/democracy) This means that in the United States the citizens control the government. The people vote on the leaders they want to represent them in Congress and in the White House. As the Declaration of Independence states,” Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed” (http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration_transcript.html) meaning government should be ruled by the people and should always do what is best for them.
The democracy in the United States allows for anyone, who meets a set of guidelines laid down by the Constitution to be part of the government. “The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States, and the Electors in each State shall have the Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch of the State Legislature.
No Person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the Age of twenty five Years, and been seven Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State in which he shall be chosen.” (http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/constitution_transcript.html) This passage from Article two of the Constitution outlines the qualifications of a person running for office in the House of Representatives. It is clear that anyone who fits these guidelines may run, opening the government to every citizen. This is very different than the dynasty form that monarchies use. Instead of having to be born into government, the United States democracy allows all to be involved in the government.
Both monarchies and democracies thrive throughout the world, and have done so for hundreds of years. The United Kingdom is stilled considered a monarchy, while its fellow super power and ally, the United States of America, is the most power democracy in the world. How is it that two of the worlds super powers have such different governments and can still be successful? Monarchies and democracies both have faults and assets, but democracies allow for direct involvement by the people which monarchies do not.
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