Absolute monarchy

Absolute monarchy is an idealized form of government, a monarchy where the ruler has the power to rule his or her country and citizens freely with no laws or legally-organized direct opposition telling him or her what to do, although some religious authority may be able to discourage the monarch from some acts and the sovereign is expected to act according to custom. There is no constitution or body of law above what is decreed by the sovereign. As a theory of civics, absolute monarchy puts total trust in well-bred and well-trained monarchs raised for the role from birth.

Theories and History

The theory of absolute monarchy developed in the late Middle Ages from feudalism during which monarchs were still very much first among equals among the nobility. With the creation of centralized administrations and standing armies backed by expensive artillery, the power of the monarch gradually increased relative to the nobles, and from this was created the theory of absolute monarchy.

Related Topics:
Theory - Middle Ages - Feudalism - Nobility

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Divine Rights

Early Absolutists advocated the theory of Divine Right of Kings to justify their position. In the 16th century, monarchs took advantage of the clergy's weakness during the Reformation to impose their will. They declared to have the ability to decide the religion of their subjects. Henry VIII of England seized the property of the Catholic church while France claimed "Gallican liberties". These new monarchs claimed to be responsible solely to God. They attempted to eliminate or marginalize customs, institutions, and laws that held their predecessors in check.

Related Topics:
Divine Right of Kings - 16th century - Reformation - Henry VIII of England

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Thomas Hobbes

In the 17th century, efforts by the English monarchy to impose absolutism led to persistent struggles with Parliament which the monarchy eventually lost (see English Civil War and Glorious Revolution). During these struggles, Thomas Hobbes introduced a new but secular theory supporting absolute monarchy. He claimed only a strong sovereign authority can protect the people from anarchy and strife. This actually led to a dispute with Royalists who objected to his rejection of Divine Right.

Related Topics:
17th century - English monarchy - English Civil War - Glorious Revolution - Thomas Hobbes

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Enlightened Despotism

In France, the monarchy was able to eventually centralise its powers and sideline Parliament and nobles. A classic example of an absolute monarchy is that of Louis XIV of France. During the Enlightenment, the theory of absolute monarchy was supported by the French philosophes as a form of enlightened despotism. The philosophes argued that only an enlightened monarch can introduce progressive reforms to curtail feudalism and reactionary clergy. However, it must be pointed out that while Louis XV and Louis XVI were absolute monarchs in theory, they had to contend with many private interests, some of which opposed reforms, such as the great nobility and the parlements. Enlightened despotism was discredited with the fall of Napoleon.

Related Topics:
France - Parliament - Louis XIV of France - The Enlightenment - Philosophes - Enlightened despotism - Louis XV - Louis XVI - Nobility - Parlement - Napoleon

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The popularity of the notion of absolute monarchy declined substantially after the French Revolution and American Revolution, which promoted theories of government based on popular sovereignty.

Related Topics:
French Revolution - American Revolution - Popular sovereignty

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20th Century

The 20th Century saw the gradual elimination of most of the world's surviving absolute monarchies. European unrest in the mid to late 19th Century led to the creation of elected parliaments across the continent, which would eventually challenge and diminish the powers of national monarch. A new system known as constitutional monarchy became common, in which the monarch and parliament would have clearly divided powers. As the century progressed, most monarchs gradually surrendered all of their remaining powers to parliament and the national prime minister to the point where today most Kings and Queens are considered little more than figureheads over defacto republics.

Related Topics:
20th Century - 19th Century - Parliament - Constitutional monarchy - Prime minister - Figurehead - Republic

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The German Empire led by Kaiser William II and the Russian Empire led by Czar Nicholas II are often characterized as being Europe's last major absolute monarchies.

Related Topics:
Kaiser William II - Czar Nicholas II

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