Chapter 10 : Monarchy

If the prime ministers were unaware of Arthur's thoughts before, they certainly had to know them now.

In the original plan of several prime ministers, they only needed to convince Arthur to agree to establish a federal government composed of autonomous states, allowing them to retain much of their own power.

Even if Arthur couldn't join the Australian national government, they could still maintain their status as governors and even attempt to marginalize him.

But according to Arthur's proposal, both the House of Commons and the House of Lords would be under his control, and the cabinet elected by the House of Commons would naturally fall under his influence as well.

The states that emerged from the colonies would no longer have any additional rights. They could only function as governors and wait until the end of their terms to seek re-election or resign.

Several prime ministers remained silent, simply looking at Prime Minister Evan, who stood at the forefront.

Prime Minister Evan smiled bitterly but didn't dare to speak. He understood what the other prime ministers were implying, but in reality, they were all colonial prime ministers sent from the British Empire to Australia. Although they had gained significant power in Australia, the control was actually divided in two. They held executive power, while various military commanders controlled the rest.

Now that Arthur had arrived in Australia, the Australian military would inevitably transfer power to him.

Moreover, Queen Victoria was still present, so who would dare to stand up and oppose Arthur?

Queen Victoria's destination was Whakaari Island in New Zealand, and she also spent a brief time in the Suez Canal and India.

But in Australia, Queen Victoria had been there for three days and showed no intention of leaving. Wasn't this a clear expression of support for Arthur?

"Very well, since no one has any further objections, we can begin preparing to transform the colonies into states and form the House of Commons and the House of Lords. It's almost May, and I hope the elections for the House of Commons can officially commence nationwide by mid-May," Arthur said with a smile when no one raised any objections.

Now it seemed that all these individuals were quite sensible, and there was no fool daring to jump up and challenge Arthur.

It must be understood that the entire Australian garrison consisted of just over 6,000 people, scattered across six major colonies.

The guards of Queen Victoria and Arthur totaled 4,000, so even if someone incited a rebellion, it could be immediately suppressed.

"Yes, Your Highness," the six individuals had no choice but to agree.

"Before the national government is formally established, Prime Minister Evan will serve as the interim prime minister, and the other prime ministers will be members of the interim cabinet. The construction of Australia still requires the joint efforts of everyone. We will strive to completely transform our appearance and complete the government's construction by the end of May," Arthur said with a smile.

Arthur understood the principle of offering a sweet reward after a strike. After stripping the six prime ministers of the state autonomy they desired, Arthur promoted them to members of the provisional government's cabinet, allowing them to contribute to the government formation process and accelerate it.

If they were truly capable, Arthur wouldn't mind giving them a push after the government was formed, enabling them to actually sit in the cabinet or even become prime minister.

"Yes, Your Highness!" As expected, after hearing Arthur's plan, several prime ministers seemed suddenly motivated and responded one after another.

"However, at the same time, the establishment of a national government requires a guiding charter. It's time to enact our own constitution, let's call it the Australian Constitution. The content of the constitution will reference the major monarchies of Europe and be revised according to our current domestic situation. Has the Federal Committee made any proposals for the constitution before?" Arthur asked.

The constitution is the foundation for stipulating the detailed division of powers among various state institutions and also fully clarifies the rights and obligations of each class.

Both ordinary Australians and Arthur needed a detailed and clear constitution to determine their rights.

"We have considered drafting a constitution, but it obviously doesn't align with our current national conditions," Prime Minister Evan replied.

The previous Federal Council leaned more towards a federal republic, completely different from the current Principality of Australia.

Prime Minister Evan was also very diplomatic and didn't mention the constitution they had previously envisioned. Otherwise, if he angered Arthur, he would likely lose his position as interim prime minister.

"Now, let's have a brief discussion. Does anyone have any good suggestions for our constitution?" Arthur asked with a meaningful smile.

When it comes to the constitution, Britain is a relatively special country. Unlike other nations with a clear constitutional system, the UK doesn't have a written constitution but rather a system of statutes, common law, and conventions.

This also resulted in the British monarch formally holding a great deal of power, including the ability to appoint and dismiss all officials, colonial governors, bishops, and senior clergy of the church, as well as the power to convene, suspend, and dissolve Parliament, approve laws, declare war, and make peace.

But in reality, much of this power was transferred to the cabinet, and the British monarch's authority was severely restricted.

However, it cannot be denied that if the British monarch has a lot to say, they can very easily use these formal powers.

Take the current British monarch, Queen Victoria, as an example. If Queen Victoria wanted to appoint or dismiss any official in the British Empire, the British political scene would basically not oppose it.

But if Prince Edward wants to appoint or dismiss important officials quickly after coming to power, it will depend on whether the Parliament's impeachment is strong enough to punish him.

"Your Highness, I believe our first constitution should first clarify the division of rights and responsibilities of each department, as well as the system and institutions of our country. Out of respect for you, your rights should also be explained in detail," Prime Minister Evan said with a slightly respectful smile.

Although Prime Minister Evan phrased it well, clarifying Arthur's rights is a show of respect towards him.

But in reality, everyone understands that once a monarch's power is clarified, it actually means that the monarch's power is restricted.

After all, only the rights enshrined in the constitution are legal. Wouldn't the rights not enshrined in it become illegal?

"I think the German system with a clear constitution is very good, and Australia is also suitable for being incorporated into a dual monarchy," Arthur said with a smile:

"The House of Commons is responsible for legislation and elections, and the House of Lords is responsible for supervising and dismissing officials and reviewing the laws passed by the House of Commons and the election results. The House of Commons is accountable to the voters, and the House of Lords is accountable to me. At the same time, the ruler of Australia, that is, me, holds all the powers of the House of Commons and the House of Lords and has the right to dissolve the cabinet, the House of Commons, and the House of Lords at any time."