Depends on the rest of the systems surrounding the president. The US president, for example, has some power to do things unilaterally, but much of what a president does must be approved by other branches of the government to take effect. In that sense, the president isn’t the sole person at the top of the hierarchy, there’s a few bodies that that power is split between.
By that definition isn’t a presidency a monarchy?
Depends on the rest of the systems surrounding the president. The US president, for example, has some power to do things unilaterally, but much of what a president does must be approved by other branches of the government to take effect. In that sense, the president isn’t the sole person at the top of the hierarchy, there’s a few bodies that that power is split between.