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BRITISH & SPANISH MONARCHIES.
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Compares monarchies' powers, political & social roles, histories, criticism, reform.... More...
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Paper Abstract:
Compares monarchies' powers, political & social roles, histories, criticism, reform.

Paper Introduction:
The monarchy in Britain has a long history, unbroken since the Restoration in the seventeenth century. The monarchy in Spain was only recently restored after the Franco era from 1936 into the 1970s. The role of the monarch is similar in each country in that each nation today is a constitutional monarchy, with an elected official as head of the government, while the monarch fulfills the ceremonial role of head of state. Americans are unaccustomed to this distinction because the President fulfills both roles and so makes the two roles seem to be one, when in many systems they are separated as they are in the United Kingdom and in Spain. In the United Kingdom, the constitutional monarchy operates without a written constitution on the basis of long-standing but flexible traditions. What is viewed as the British constitution

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Division of powerIV. He institutedreform and built on the market economy that had been developing since the196 s (Lawday 54-55). Aspart of this effort, the government has built highways, bridges, airportterminals, and has expanded telephone and other communication systems aspart of King Carlos's modernization efforts (Hoffman 48-49). Spain serves as an example to other nations trying to make thedifficult transition from dictatorship to democracy, for in less than twodecades, Spain has achieved democracy and economic integration, much of thecredit attributable to King Juan Carlos. xix-xxi). The institution has been broken only once during thelast thousand years by the establishment of a republic from 1649 to 166 .In law, the Queen is head of the executive, an integral part of thelegislature, head of the judiciary, the commander-in-chief of all armedforces of the Crown, and the "supreme governor" of the established Churchof England. New political parties D. Some pressing for more democracy in Britain have suggested strippingthe monarchy of what power it still has to make the monarch a purelysymbolic figure. Monarch as head of state and symbol of national unity E. The supreme authority is the legislature, orParliament. 1978 Constitution C. One critic pointsto the recent attempt to vote on the monarchy in Australia for what mighthappen in Britain: "If any further warning is needed, the government shouldlook at what is happening in Australia, where there is to be aconstitutional convention about the future of the monarchy" Heffer, 19).At this convention, and "despite everything, Australians are registeringrising levels of support for the Queen, largely because they know too wellthe appalling quality of their politicians" (Heffer 19). If he is not actuallyreplacing the present Head of State, he is hinting to her very stronglythat unless she 'modernizes' herself, she will go the way of socialism,judges' wigs, and all the other things which get in the way of histhrusting need to make things new" (Wilson 1). In the 1982 elections, the Spanish SocialistWorkers' Party formed the first majority one-party government since theSpanish Civil War (Solsten and Meditz xix). The monarchy in Britain has a long history, unbroken since the Restorationin the seventeenth century. Americans are unaccustomed to this distinction because thePresident fulfills both roles and so makes the two roles seem to be one,when in many systems they are separated as they are in the United Kingdomand in Spain. In addition, analyst find that the smallpercentage of monarchical role that is not simply symbolic isconstitutionally vital: "As head of state, the monarch holds reserve powersto reject laws, to dissolve Parliament or to reject requests fordissolutions, and to appoint prime ministers in the event of a hungParliament" ("The Monarchy: In the Muddled Middle" 15). "Monarchy Should Go, Says a Third of TV Poll." Independent (January 8, 1997), 1.Wilson, A.N. There had been little political involvement bythe citizens prior to this change, but now political parties revived andgrew, forming coalitions. Introduction A. Reestablishment of monarchy in 1975 B. Comparison However, the 1978 Constitution recognized andguaranteed the right of autonomy to nationalities and regions within thestate. Power is dividedbetween the central government and the regional governments, but provincialgovernment remains centralized, administered by a provincial councilelected from among subordinate municipal council members and headed by apresident. Spain A. This came upon thedeath of Francisco Franco, the ruler since 1936, who had run a rigidlycentralized, unitary state. SimilaritiesII. Regionaldifferences in opinion were evident, with 56 percent in Scotland votingagainst the monarchy; with Northern Ireland split equally; and with Welshviewers marginally in favor of the monarchy. Anothermajor event was the summer Olympics held in Barcelona. The monarchy in Spain was only recentlyrestored after the Franco era from 1936 into the 197 s. At least one observer, John Charmley, suggests that the monarchy willsurvive the current round of criticism and calls for reform:"Traditionalists will hope that history will repeat itself and thatElizabeth II lives as long as her mother, thus allowing the monarchy tosurvive the present Prince of Wales. Special provisions have been made for the Basque provinces andthe Balearic and Canary Islands as well as for the North African enclaves(Solsten and Meditz, 1988: pp. "Get Your Tanks off the Royal Lawn." New Statesman (December 12, 1997), 18-19.Hoffman, Ellen, "Spain Creates the Future," Omni (July 1992), pp. London: HMSO, 1991.Charmley, John. No written constitution C. Meditz, Spain: a country study. United Kingdom A. When Franco died, King Juan Carlos engineered the transition todemocracy, transforming the dictatorial regime into a pluralistic,parliamentary democracy. The British monarchy has been much-criticized in recent years becauseof the actions of members of the royal family and because of perceptionsassociated with the death of Princess Diana. Observers note that this is essentially the case now,although by his environmental activism Prince Charles has occasionallystrayed towards politics, as did Princess Diana in her much-lauded campaignagainst landmine production. The political party system that has developed since the death ofFranco includes numerous regional parties that participate in regionalelections as well as in national elections, and the role of regionalgovernment has also increased since the death of Franco. Today, though, the Queen acts on the advice of her ministersas much of the Crown's power has been progressively reduced over the years(Britain 1991 35-37). The executive branch consists of the Government, or theCabinet and other ministers who are responsible for initiating anddirecting national policy; government departments, responsible for nationaladministration; local authorities, which administer and manage many localservices; and public corporations that are responsible for operatingparticular nationalized industries or a social or cultural service. Early in this decade, Spain showed off her newregime with the six-month-long universal Expo, presenting a futuristicvision of Europe and the world to visitors from around the world. OUTLINEI. The year 1992 waschosen by the Spanish as the year when it would prove to the world that ithad emerged from the dictatorship as a new international democracy. Wilson points to the recent elevation of TonyBlair as Prime Minister and to the issue was treated by British newspapers. Washington, D.C.: The American University, 1988.Streeter, Michael. He first sought a consensus amongpoliticians, businessmen, labor leaders, and generals, asking them not toseek revenge for the past but rather to look to the future. Others believe that the monarchy has already been damaged asan institution as events make the monarchy less royal and more"democratic," as when A.N. In January of that year,Carlton Television conducted a program called Monarchy: The Nation Decides,and during the program, more than 2.6 million viewers voted, suggestingthat one-third of the British public no longer wants a monarchy. Britain 2. Spain was governed under a system of personal rule established in1936 until the monarchy was reestablished in 1975. Themonarch, currently the Queen, is the head of state and also the symbol ofthe nation's unity. Solsten, Eric, Sandra W. The organs of government are distinguishable but havefunctions that often overlap. Future of the monarchyIII. Spain B. Constitutional monarchy B. By the late198 s, national territory was divided into seventeen autonomouscommunities, each encompassing one of more previously existing provinces,and each governed by statute by universal suffrage. What is viewed as the British constitution is formed partly by statute,partly by common law, and partly by convention. Nature of the monarchy today 1. Bad behavior 2. Works CitedBritain 1991: An official handbook. Blair is "stridently seen as the new Head of State. Queen acts on advice of ministers F. "Comment: If I Were the Queen I'd Pack It in Now." The Sunday Telegraph (March 8, 1998), 1. But while historians repeatthemselves, history never repeats itself, and the question now is whether a'People's Monarchy' can long survive in a climate of fickle public opinion"(Charmley 1). Branches of government D. Criticisms 1. News & World Report (April 27, 1992), 54-55."The Monarchy: In the Muddled Middle." The Economist (September 12, 1998), 15. The role of themonarch is similar in each country in that each nation today is aconstitutional monarchy, with an elected official as head of thegovernment, while the monarch fulfills the ceremonial role of head ofstate. The monarch inSpain is one who continues to exercise these constitutional powers-indeed,and with a proportional electoral system, the Spanish monarch has to befar more politically active than Queen Elizabeth. 48-52, 74.Lawday, David, "Spain Discovers Another New World." U.S. The vote in England waslargely pro-monarchy (Streeter 1). Critics have complained aboutthe monarchy, but it is not clear if the people would accept any reductionin the role of the monarch or a turn to republicanism. "Comment: What Will Follow the 'Family' Monarchy?" The Sunday Telegraph (July 2 , 1997), 1.Heffer, Simon. In the United Kingdom, the constitutional monarchy operates without awritten constitution on the basis of long-standing but flexible traditions. The public wassurveyed in 1997 by a live television program. It is not written,however, and so can be altered by Act of Parliament or by general agreementto make a change.

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