Figurehead

Figurehead

In politics, a figurehead, by metaphor with the carved figurehead at the prow of a sailing ship, is a person who holds an important title or office yet executes little actual power. Common figureheads include constitutional monarchs, such as the Emperor of Japan, or presidents in parliamentary democracies, such as the President of Israel.

While the authority of a figurehead is generally symbolic, respect and access to high levels of government can give them significant influence on some events. An example would be Emperor Hirohito's involvement in World War II. In parliamentary systems, presidents are figureheads at times of peace (delegated such powers as convening or dismissing the national legislature), but at wartime they are often commanders in chief.

Sometimes a figurehead can be exploited in times of emergency. For example, Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi used the figurehead President of India to issue unilateral decrees that allowed her to bypass parliament when it no longer supported her.

The word can also have more sinister overtones, and refer to a powerless leader who should be exercising full authority, yet is actually being controlled by a more powerful figure behind the throne.

The tendency of this word to drift, like many words that are in a strong process of changed meanings, into the pejorative is beginning to make it unsuitable to apply to a head of state with limited constitutional authority, such that its use may become increasingly inappropriate in referring to monarchs and presidents in parliamentary systems.

ee also

*Head of State


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Figurehead — Fig ure*head , n. 1. (Naut.) The figure, statue, or bust, on the prow of a ship. [1913 Webster] 2. A person who allows his name to be used to give standing to enterprises in which he has no responsible interest or duties; a nominal, but not real …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • figurehead — index ineffective, ineffectual, nonentity, powerless, token Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • figurehead — 1765, from FIGURE (Cf. figure) + HEAD (Cf. head). Originally the ornament on the bow of a ship; sense of leader without real authority is first attested 1883 …   Etymology dictionary

  • figurehead — [n] person who is leader in name only cipher, front*, mouthpiece*, nominal head, nonentity, nothing, puppet*, straw boss*, straw person, titular head, token; concepts 354,423 …   New thesaurus

  • figurehead — ► NOUN 1) a carved bust or full length figure set at the prow of an old fashioned sailing ship. 2) a nominal leader without real power …   English terms dictionary

  • figurehead — [fig′yər hed΄] n. 1. a carved figure on the bow of a ship 2. a person put in a position of leadership because of name, rank, etc., but having no real power, authority, or responsibility …   English World dictionary

  • figurehead — /fig yeuhr hed /, n. 1. a person who is head of a group, company, etc., in title but actually has no real authority or responsibility: Most modern kings and queens are figureheads. 2. Naut. a carved full length figure or bust built into the bow… …   Universalium

  • figurehead — [[t]fɪ̱gə(r)hed, AM gjə(r) [/t]] figureheads 1) N COUNT If someone is the figurehead of an organization or movement, they are recognized as being its leader, although they have little real power. The President will be little more than a… …   English dictionary

  • figurehead — noun 1) the president was just a figurehead Syn: titular head, nominal leader, leader in name only, front man, cipher, token, mouthpiece, puppet, instrument 2) the figurehead on the ship Syn: carving, bust …   Thesaurus of popular words

  • figurehead — UK [ˈfɪɡə(r)ˌhed] / US [ˈfɪɡjərˌhed] noun [countable] Word forms figurehead : singular figurehead plural figureheads 1) a leader who has no real power or influence, especially a leader of a political party 2) a wooden model of a person fixed to… …   English dictionary

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