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Australi A Constitutional Monarchy And The United States Is A Democratic Republic

Decent Essays

Australia is a constitutional monarchy and the United States is a democratic republic. Furthermore, both Australia and the U.S. are federated nations, wherein governmental power is shared between national and state governments. This essay will review the similarities and differences between Australian and American government by exploring their federation, party systems, and their legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
Paths to Independence
In order to understand the origins of both governmental structures, a discussion of each nation’s historical independence is required first. On 1 January, 1901, six British colonies came together to form the Commonwealth of Australia. This outcome was the result of “deliberation, consultation, and debate, unlike many other nations that unified as a result of war or conflict” (PEO). Popular support for federation came from a realization of the inefficiencies associated with near self-governance while subordinated to the British Parliament. In 1889, Premier of New South Wales Sir Henry Parkes encouraged the colonies to federate; from 1890 to 1899 a series of conferences and conventions were held to create a constitution (PEO). At the turn of the 20th century, the British parliament passed the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act, and Queen Victoria signed it soon after (Office of Parliamentary Counsel). The Commonwealth is proclaimed in Centennial Park, Sydney; Henry Parkes, “The Father of Federation,” died in 1896 before this

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