Monarchy and theocracy

A monarchy is ruled by a monarch: a king or queen who inherits the position from their family. They hold sovereign power (the country's power doesn't depend on any outside force). Usually the eldest son becomes the next king.

There are two types today. In an absolute monarchy the monarch controls making laws, enforcing them, and adjudicating (judging disputes). That's all three functions in one person!

Example: Saudi Arabia. The king holds all power and rules by Islamic law. He appoints a council to advise him, but he doesn't have to follow its advice. Advice you can ignore is not a limit on your power.

The United Kingdom (Britain) is also a monarchy, but the king or queen has only nominal (name-only) power. The elected parliament makes all the laws, and the Council of Ministers led by the prime minister runs the government.

So although Britain has a king, it is really a parliamentary democracy today. This is called a constitutional monarchy: a crown without the old power.

A theocracy is a government run by the rules of religion and religious leaders.

Iran (official name: 'Islamic Republic of Iran') mixes theocracy and democracy. Its constitution is based on Islam, the official religion. The Supreme Leader, chosen by a group of Islamic clerics for life, has the final say over the legislature, executive and judiciary. There's also an elected president and parliament for everyday matters. Other theocracies today: Afghanistan and Vatican City.