What is a chief of state? Learn the definition and role of a chief of state, about head of state vs head of government, and view chief of state examples.
Updated: 11/21/2023
Chief of State | Definition, Role & Examples
Table of Contents
- Chief of State
- Head of State vs Head of Government
- What does the Chief of State do?
- Roles of Chief of State and Head of Government
- Chief of State Examples
- Lesson Summary
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Chief of State mean?
A Chief of State is the symbolic representation of the state in one person. They are also called the Head of State and have ceremonial duties.
Does the US have a head of state?
Yes, the US does have a Head of State. The US President is both the Head of State and Head of Government.
What is the President's role as chief of state?
As President, they hold both the title of Chief of State and Head of Government. As Chief of State, the US President is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and represents America abroad.
Table of Contents
- Chief of State
- Head of State vs Head of Government
- What does the Chief of State do?
- Roles of Chief of State and Head of Government
- Chief of State Examples
- Lesson Summary
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A Chief of State, otherwise known as a Head of State, is the highest representative of a sovereign state. The Chief of State can also be the Head of Government, but this isn't always the case, particularly in states that have a Westminster Parliamentary government (i.e. the United Kingdom, Canada). The Chief of State is typically a symbolic or representative role, as they are the embodiment of the state on the international stage. They are usually called upon to meet with foreign leaders and heads of state as the spokesperson for their own state.
Head of State in Government
The role of the Head of State often depends on the type of government a state has. For example, republic governments such as the US dictate that the Head of State and Head of Government are one and the same, therefore the Head of State adopts all powers, privileges, and responsibilities of their role as Head of Government. For example, US citizens elect a president every four years. The winner of a presidential election becomes the Head of Government and Head of State in January following the presidential election. As Head of State, the President of the US has the authority to command the armed forces of the US and meet with foreign leaders to negotiate international policy.
In other states that have adopted other forms of government, the role of Head of State and Head of Government are occupied by two different individuals. For example, in the United Kingdom (and much of the nations that comprise the Commonwealth of Nations), the reigning monarch serves as the Head of State. While in this capacity, the monarch has no formal or institutional power. However, they do command the armed forces, sign bills into law, dissolve parliament, and open new parliamentary sessions via a speech from the throne. In order to fulfill their duties, the reigning British monarch takes advice from the government of the day and, specifically, the Prime Minister who acts as the Head of Government.
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When the roles of Head of State and Government are separated, the Head of State usually exercises their authority on the advice of the Head of Government.
A Head of State is the legal embodiment of the state, therefore, all laws are usually passed in his or her name. As such, the Head of State is normally responsible for signing laws into existence. The Head of State also usually has command over the armed forces of a state and takes part in ceremonial functions related to the military, such as inspecting the military and participating in state ceremonies. The Head of State meets with foreign leaders and dignitaries but doesn't often negotiate policy between nations. In certain states, the Head of State also appoints individuals to senior positions, such as appointing critical cabinet members in the government, a representative on their behalf, judges, and other key positions.
A Head of Government is the functional leader of a state. They can be elected or can assume the position depending on the political setup of the state in question. They are responsible for forming a government, negotiating policy priorities domestically and internationally, helping facilitate the passage of key legislation, and can provide advice to the Head of State on key appointments and constitutional functions (i.e. dissolving a parliament).
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The Chief of State is often symbolic. As such, their functions are often limited to what is outlined in a state's constitution. Common functions of the Chief of State are:
- Command the armed forces of a country
- Sign bills into law
- Participate in ceremonial events (i.e. state funerals)
- Meet with foreign leaders and dignitaries
- Can appoint individuals to key offices
The exact functions of the Chief of State vary by country and political setup.
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The Chief of State often derives their power from a state's constitution. Their functional power is generally more limited than the Head of Government, who can be directly elected by the citizenry of a state or can assume the office via birthright or another mechanism. As such, the following are generally functions of the Head of Government that the Chief of State is not directly involved in:
- Forming a government, including cabinet
- Setting the strategic direction of a country, including drafting and passing key domestic and foreign legislation
- Meet with foreign leaders and dignitaries to negotiate international deals
- Provide advice to the Head of State on key appointments
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In federal republics, like the US, the Chief of State and Head of Government are usually the same individual. For example, US Presidents Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden are or were the Chief of State and Head of Government. Federal republics aren't the only styles of government that have both positions filled by the same individual. Saudi Arabia is another example of a country whose Head of State and Head of Government are one and the same - King Salman embodies both positions.
It is much more common, however, for these roles to be separated. In the United Kingdom, the reigning British monarch retains their status as Head of State while the current Prime Minister is the Head of Government. Other commonwealth countries, like Canada or Australia, also have the British monarch as their Head of State but their respective Prime Ministers are the Head of Government. Because the British monarch is in the United Kingdom, they have appointed representatives in their Commonwealth countries to be the representative Head of State. In Canada, for example, these individuals are called the Governor General and they represent the monarch in Canada and have the right to sign laws into existence and dissolve or open sessions of parliament.
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A Chief of State is the symbolic embodiment of a state who, depending on the political system of the state, may or may not also be the Head of Government. The Head of State is responsible for commanding the armed forces of a state, signing legislation into law, and performing certain ceremonial duties as outlined in the constitution of that state. They also may meet with foreign leaders and dignitaries and provide hospitality to help Heads of Government negotiate deals and pass international policy.
In the US, the Chief of State and Head of Government are combined and are represented by the President of the United States. For example, Presidents Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden have been the Chief of State and Head of Government. In other countries, like the UK and Canada, the roles are divided. The reigning British monarch serves as the Head of State while the Head of Government is elected and runs the country, and also provides advice to the Head of State.
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Video Transcript
What is a Chief of State?
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When you think of a chief of state, you probably go right to the president of the United States. The U.S. president is often called the most powerful person in the world, so you get this picture in your mind of someone who is almost a supreme ruler for however long he (or she) is in office.
Chief of state, or head of state, is really only a part of the president's role, though. Chief of state is the individual a country calls on when it needs a spokesperson to talk with a foreign country. When a country needs to focus all of its national pride on someone at a national celebration, like a holiday or even an important sporting event, the focus is on the head of state. The head of state is the person the world sees. He or she is also the person a country sees when there are national issues that need to be discussed, like foreign policy, healthcare, or taxes.
Chief of State vs. Head of Government
It's important to note that the president of the United States is not just the head of state, the president is also head of government. The U.S. isn't the only country that combines the two offices, but they are two different positions. The head of government is the leading executive officer. In the U.S., the head of government (the president) can select advisors, suggest laws, veto bills, and even provide candidates for the Supreme Court to Congress.
In a country where the two offices are separate, the head of government generally makes the decisions. If the head of state has any official power, he or she is expected to approve them.
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Different Chiefs of State Around the World
Many countries copy the U.S. South America had its revolutionary wars during the early nineteenth century and borrowed ideas from the U.S. In some ways it's just simpler to give one person all of the public responsibility and executive power than to split them up.
Many also don't take after the U.S. Take the United Kingdom, for instance. It has a long history of kings and queens, and when the British people study their history they read about them. Because of that, the royal family is their symbol because it represents their long history. When there is a national tragedy, a royal family member goes to the site. Or, when Prince William and Princess Kate attended the Olympics in London, they went in their roles as heads of state.
In a few other countries they have what is called a semi-presidency. Usually that means that both the head of state and the head of government have actual powers in the government. They do overlap a little at times, but only to provide checks on each other. For instance, in France the head of state is responsible for foreign policy, and the head of government is responsible for domestic workings.
Lesson Summary
In most countries the chief of state, also referred to as the head of state, is basically a figurehead, a person who represents the country during his or her term in office. The head of state goes to public events, receives foreign ambassadors, and goes to foreign countries on behalf of his or her country. The head of state generally has no real power, though, unless he or she happens to also be the head of government. The only other exception is in a semi-presidency. In that case, the head of state can have powers equal to the head of government.
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Chief of State | Definition, Role & Examples
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