How does a constitutional monarchy protect our liberties?

Question

I would be interested to hear an explanation as i don't understand. I do know it is one of the reasons why Britain never became fascist or Stalinist partly. Give me some examples if you think this is true or examples of the opposite if you don't. x

Answer 1

Nicely put Mark G, so this being the truth, why hasn't our Queen protected her people and country from this government, and the EU.  She has to 'OK' all laws etc, that are passed to her from government, making her our checks & ballances, if she is offered a paper that requires her signature to give governance of our country to another country, surely it is her duty to not only refuse signing it but to warn government, as she can dismiss a government for this kind of treason.  Instead of which she willing signs these documents, commiting treason, as she has given an Oath at her Coronation to protect people and country.

Answer 2

Okay. The monarch inherits their position, for life, upon the death of the previous occupant. Nobody can remove them, except for themselves abdicating (as in 1936), or by revolution (as in 1792 in France), right? What's more, in the past two centuries, the monarchy has become, by necessity, less political, and does not speak publicly on political questions.

Everything that the British state does is carried out in the Queen's name. Literally, She *IS* the State.

So, that brings us to the first point. Essentially, The Queen's apolitical nature gives Britain a central national symbol free of political tarnish, is easy to discern, and unites far more than a political leader. Other countries have elements such as the Constitution or a liberational war, or a set of core principles as the defining symbol in their culture, but in truth it is hard to find two people who can agree on the same meaning to what one of these symbolizes. A constitutional monarch, on the other hand, is concrete, not abstract, living, sentient, visible, and someone you can interact with. It's a greatly unifying symbol, and, more importantly, allows people to freely condemn the Government for an action they disagree with but openly demonstrate their patriotism by pledging their love for the Queen - unlike in another country where they can be more easily denounced as an enemy of the 'people', or by their opponents spouting off empty promises of 'freedom' and 'democracy'.

Connect to this, the Queen's central status to the nation's cultural and political life ensures that the symbology of the State cannot be hijacked by a political party or leader. Political life revolves around events like the State Opening of Parliament every Autumn, Trooping of the Colour every June, the Queen's Speech at Christmas, and various other events which have become traditions over the centuries. Note that none of these have a single politician in sight. In the State Opening, the Prime Minister is just another MP, who walks behind the Speaker of the House of Commons when attending the House of Lords. With the apolitical Queen in the limelight, a demagogue at the top has a hard time grabbing any airtime in State symbology. The monarchy humanizes power by stressing that political power is subordinate to the national symbol.

Arguably, the Queen's status as the holder of an inherited, lifelong post is something of great strength to Britain. Being over a thousand years old, and having been at the centre of British political and cultural life for all but a decade of it, the monarchy is of great importance as a mechanism to ensure a peaceful and stable polity. Namely, the monarchy is a symbol of permanence, reconciling the rulers to the ruled, rendering legitimacy to the government through the monarchy's aura of authority. It is something people can look to when things get doubtful and things go wrong, and latch onto it as a unifying symbol. Consider, for example, the remarkable way the United Kingdom weathered its decline from Empire and superpower to a minnow of a nation, a soggy, cold island just off the coast of Europe. Compare this to France, which, in two centuries, has had eighteen constitutions, most recently changing from the Fourth to the Fifth Republic in 1958 as its own Empire crumbled.

Consider also the fact that the Queen's popularity has stayed steadily high throughout all of Her reign, thanks to Her aloofness from politics while also being central to Britain's culture. Compare this to the divisions that French Presidents, such as M. Mitterand, have caused, or indeed George Bush, or the damage to the credibility to the office of President by Watergate.

Answer 3

Britain follows the law of the Magna Carta and such so that is why

you Brits are different from all the other European nations;and also

you were smarter than them/they all fell(Japan,Germany,Italy,etc.)

plus the Canadians USA & England became the rescuers of many

Jews I've read books describing the joy of being saved even though

you are almost dead that's because our belief systems are similar

Answer 4

The monarch protects the people from abusive and ambitious elected leaders.

Answer 5

I'm not completely sure, to be honest.  I only know that our armed forces swear allegiance to the Queen, she is their 'boss', and no matter which political party is voted into power, the Army, Navy and Air Force (and I think the Police Force) have the monarch as their head.  The monarch stays out of politics in British life.  She just 'advises' the Prime Minister.

I think we have never become a fascist or Stalinist country mainly because our 'common sense' tells us that it doesn't work and that the system that we have now has evolved over a thousand years and suits us.

Interesting question.

Answer 6

It does'nt, period!