On Tue, 8 Dec 1998, Nightman wrote:

John, 
	What insights can you share on constitutional monarchies, such as that
practiced in Luxembourg in the 19th century? Specifically,

Constitutional Monarchy is a nice broad fuzzy term.

Basically, it means the limits on the monarch are spelled out in law
rather than custom.  Even Louis XIV wasn't REALLY all powerful.  He was
limited by custom, and because custom is so fuzzy, it can sometimes be a
better guarantee than law.

Generally, the way Constitutional Monarchy works is that
The Monarch is basically a president for life.  He performs executive
functions, appoints Ministers, and has a lot of control over foreign
policy.  Usually he has some kind of veto (which is often more theoretical
than real) over new laws.  One of the Monarch's most firmly reserved
powers is the grant of honors.  The Monarch controls who becomes a noble.  

The Ministers who run the executive departments are theoretically chosen
by the King.  But in practice, the king has to choose people who can
actually get the legislature to cooperate, which means that over time,
usually it reaches the point where the king has to choose to appoint
whoever has a majority in the legislature.

There is a legislature which is elected by some kind of franchise and may
be unicameral (one house) or Bicameral (two houses).  It makes law and
usually controls the creation of taxes.  In some cases, the upper house is
a house of nobles (like the British House of Lords).  

The Judiciary is appointed by either the King or ministers, usually for
life or a fixed term, sometimes at the King's pleasure.

Usually, there is some sort of written constitution which cannot easily be
changed, but it is notable that Britain is called a constitutional
monarchy despite not having a written constitution of the kind that became
standard after 1776 and 1789.

Anyway, this is heading into the offtopic zone; send further comments to
my personal Email address.


John Walter Biles :  MA-History, Ph.D Wannabe at U. Kansas         
ranma@falcon.cc.ukans.edu       
rhea@tass.org              http://www.tass.org/~rhea/falcon.html
rhea@maison-otaku.net      http://www.maison-otaku.net/~rhea/

If it has passed from the high and the beautiful to darkness and ruin, that
was of old the fate of Arda Marred; and if any change shall come and the
Marring be amended, Manwe and Varda may know; but they have not revealed it,
and it is not declared in the dooms of Mandos.
--Final Line of The Silmarillion