The Impact of World War II on the Status of European Monarchies

Abstract

World wars were the key moments that had a significant impact on the transformation of monarchical rule in the twentieth century. They served as catalysts in the process of changing the European political system, determining the direction of development. The subject of the study are the European monarchies. The object of the study is the transformation of the traditional form of government in the countries of Europe. Using the historical-anthropological method, as well as historical-systemic and historical-comparative approaches, the question of general and special in the process of transformation of monarchical rule in the middle of the twentieth century is considered. The author focuses on the question - Is the tendency of monarchies to leave the historical scene objective, colored by national peculiarities, or depends on the specific situation and the particular ruler? After World War I, the revision of government affected all parts of the world. The Second World War was a new challenge to the historic system of governance. As a result, the transformation of centuries-old interaction between the state and society has become irreversible. It has institutionalized democratic royalism as the main social and political perception of traditional forms of government. Only as long as the monarch follows the established rules will the monarchy exist. It has lost most of its key characteristics, remaining only a historical and cultural symbol - without real power or significance for political and social life, depending on social and political sentiments.