Comparison

Huỳnh Minh Tịnh Lạc
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BRITISH CULTURE
The Roles of Britain’s Queen in Comparison with
Those of Vietnam’s President
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a

constitutional monarchy (or parliamentary democracy). This means that the
monarch, at the moment Queen Elizabeth II who succeeded to the throne in 1952,
is the head of state. It is different from Vietnam, the government of which takes
place in a framework of a single-party socialist republic, a country headed by a
president. The incumbent state president of Socialist Republic of Vietnam is
Nguyen Minh Triet, who was elected by the National Assembly of Vietnam in
2006. In spite of playing the roles as heads of state of two different governments,
Britain’s Queen and Vietnam’s President still have some similarities beside the
differences in their work.
As the heads of state, Britain’s Queen and Vietnam’s President share four
main similarities in ceremonial role and official roles as they represent the states,
formally appoint the government, approve bills and are the commanders of the
state military and heads of other offices.
The most obvious similarity between the Queen’s roles and the President’s
is their ceremonial function. On great occasions, such as the State Opening of
Parliament, the Queen is driven through the streets in a golden carriage, guarded
by soldiers. She gives state banquet, usually in her home at Buckingham Palace,
when foreign monarchs or heads of state visit Britain. The Queen represents
Britain on visits to most parts of the world. Similarly, the President represents the
socialist republic of Vietnam internally and externally. He is mainly in charge of
foreign affairs, visiting other countries and greeting foreign government
representatives.
The second similarity between the Queen and the President’s roles is
appointing a government. On the day after a general election, the Queen invites the
leader of the party that won the most seats in the House of Commons to become
Prime Minister and to form the government. She opens Parliament through the
State Opening (marking the beginning of the Parliamentary year and dismisses
Parliament before a general election at the request of the Prime Minister
(dissolution). Also, according to Vietnam constitution, the Vietnam’s President is
responsible for appointing the Prime Minister and the Cabinet from among the
members of the National Assembly, basing his or her decision upon indications
from the Assembly itself.
When considering the law making process of these two states, we can see
another similarity between the roles of the Queen and the President. The Queen
takes an important part in a law making process, giving the Royal Assent. When a
Bill has been approved by a majority in the House of Commons and the House of
Lords, it is formally agreed to by the Queen. This is known as the Royal Assent.
This turns a Bill into an Act of Parliament, allowing it to become law in the UK.
Though it is just a symbolic part, this shows us the role of the Queen as a final
check on the government. In Vietnam, it is somehow similar. After the bill is
passed by the National Assembly, the President signs command announcing law
then it is published.
Moreover, they both hold high positions in some national offices though
they are just nominal. The Queen is the Commander in Chief of the arm forces.
She is also the head of the judiciary (all the judges) and of the Church of England.
Also, the President is the Commander of the Vietnamese military. Besides, he is
the Head of the Council on National Defense and Security.
Beside their similar roles, because of the difference of the two
governments, the Queen and the President have many different functions among
which is the following difference related to his or her value to the people.
As a monarch is a hereditary ruler of a kingdom, the Queen can be the head
of the state till she dies. Her reign doesn’t depend on the official term of
Parliament. She has her own value and is very popular with most British people.
She is a personal embodiment of the government of the country. To them, she is
part of their national pride and a symbol of continuity. She represents tradition of
the state. The Prime Ministers come and go, but she carries on above politics.
Moreover, the Queen’s royal life with its activities is a source of entertainment
that helps make life more vivid and colorful and attracts many tourists. Unlike the
Queen, Vietnam’s President is elected by the National Assembly. Therefore, his
term of office depends on the term of National Assembly. He is considered the
representative of social republic of Vietnam and the Communist party and seems
to hold more official roles with real power on the government than the Queen. As
he is a member of a communist state, he leads a normal life like other people of
this country. He doesn’t have such a great spiritual and traditional values to the
people as the Britain’s Queen does.
In conclusion, notwithstanding being put in a rather limping comparison
because of the states’ different governments, the roles as a head of state of
Britain’s Queen and Vietnam’s President are similar in many ways in both
ceremonial and official ones. Although most of their roles are just symbolic, they
are still the essential parts of their governments as well as of their whole states,
contributing to the states’ development.

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Huỳnh Minh Tịnh Lạc

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a

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