In comparative politics, the English Crown (the British monarch) is considered an example of which type of executive authority in a modern constitutional system?

Introduction / Context:
This question belongs to the basic conceptual area of political science dealing with types of executive authority. It uses the example of the English Crown, that is the British monarch, in the United Kingdom. Although historically the monarch wielded wide powers, in the modern constitutional era the position has changed radically. Understanding how the British monarch now functions helps students clearly distinguish between real or effective executives and nominal or ceremonial executives, an idea that is also very relevant for understanding the Indian President and other heads of state.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The English Crown refers to the current British monarch in the constitutional monarchy of the United Kingdom.
• Modern UK is a parliamentary democracy where real political power is exercised by the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
• The options list different kinds of executives such as real, quasi-real, nominal and nominated executives, plus a distractor relating to full powers.
• We assume the standard political science classification used in Indian polity textbooks.

Concept / Approach:
In constitutional theory, a real or de facto executive is the organ that actually exercises political power, takes decisions and is accountable for governance. In a parliamentary system like the UK, this is the Prime Minister and the Cabinet. A nominal or de jure executive is the formal head of state whose name is used for legal acts, but who acts on the advice of the real executive and generally does not exercise independent political discretion. The English Crown today fits this second category. The monarch performs ceremonial duties, gives royal assent to laws, and symbolically represents the state, but almost always follows ministerial advice.

Step-by-Step Solution:
1. Identify the country and system being discussed: the United Kingdom with a parliamentary and constitutional monarchy. 2. Recall that in the UK the real political executive is the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers who command a majority in the House of Commons. 3. The English Crown, that is the monarch, functions mainly as a ceremonial head of state, acting on the advice of ministers. 4. In political science terminology, such a head of state is called a nominal executive or de jure executive. 5. Therefore, the English Crown is an example of a nominal executive.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify this by recalling similar classifications in Indian polity. The President of India is also often described as a nominal executive, while the Prime Minister is the real executive. Textbooks explain that this classification is inspired by the British model, where the monarch reigns but does not rule in a political sense. The Cabinet is collectively responsible to Parliament and takes real decisions. This parallel confirms that the English Crown is best described as a nominal executive.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Real executive: This would apply to the Prime Minister and Cabinet, not to the ceremonial monarch.
• Quasi-real executive: There is no standard category by this name in basic political science classification; it would be misleading here.
• Nominated executive: This term is sometimes used for indirectly chosen heads of state, but the British monarch is hereditary, not nominated, and also not politically real.
• Hereditary executive with full powers: Historically the monarch had extensive powers, but in the modern era those powers are constitutionally limited and exercised on ministerial advice.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse historical monarchy with the contemporary constitutional monarchy. Another frequent error is to focus on the impressive ceremonial role of the monarch and assume wide real powers. For exam purposes, always recall that in modern parliamentary democracies the authority that is politically accountable to the legislature is the real executive, and ceremonial heads of state are nominal executives, even if they have certain reserve powers on paper.

Final Answer:
Thus, in modern constitutional practice, the English Crown is an example of a nominal executive.