Secrets of Survival of the British Monarchy: from Victoria to George V (1837‒1936)

 
PIIS013038640014270-5-1
DOI10.31857/S013038640014270-5
Publication type Article
Status Published
Authors
Affiliation: Institute of World History, RAS
Address: Russian Federation, Moscow
Journal nameNovaia i noveishaia istoriia
EditionIssue 2
Pages75-92
Abstract

The article analyzes the reasons for the preservation of the British Monarchy in the context of the development of the democratic process. The article is divided into three parts. The first part traces how, in the era of liberal reforms, Queen Victoria (1837-1901), deprived of executive power, which passed to the Prime Minister, largely due to her personal qualities, which corresponded to the Protestant values of the rising bourgeoisie, retained her social significance, and her family be-came the model family of the nation. The book by the English economist W. Bagehot “The English Constitution” (1867) which records the actual transformation of the kingdom into a republic and identifies new levers of influence of the monarch on power, is analyzed. The second part of the article shows how King Edward VII (1901-1911) while maintaining political neutrality, managed to promote the renewal of the country's foreign policy with the help of a circle of high-ranking friends and personal initiative. In the third part of the article, when analyzing the reign of George V (1911-1936), much attention is paid to his role as an engine of national patriotism during the First World War and to his mediation in the settlement of intra-party and inter-party conflicts, which was the implementation of the reserve power of the Monarch noted by Bagehot. The study shows that in the context of the development of the democratic process, the institution of the Monarchy was also strengthened in its new purpose: a symbol of the unification of the nation in emergencies, a factor affecting the preservation of social stability, and unique levers of influence on power, identified by Bagehot. The image of the ideal royal family remains engraved in the British psyche. All these are the secret of the survival of the Monarchy. But there is one more factor – the island position of Britain, which protected it from external invasions and contributed to the preservation of its traditions. The Monarchy has become one of the most revered traditions.

KeywordsBritish Monarchy, Queen Victoria, King Edward VII, King George V, W. Bagehot, democratic process, prime-minister
Received09.12.2020
Publication date21.04.2021
Number of characters56099
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