Absolutism
Absolutism Definition
Political system in which total power is vested in a single individual or a group of rulers.
Background
Today the term is usually associated with the government of a dictator. It is considered the opposite of constitutional government such as that found in the United States. Absolutism is distinguished from democracy by the unlimited power claimed for absolute rulers as contrasted with the constitutional limitations placed on heads of state in democratic governments.
The development of modern absolutism began with the emergence of European nation-states toward the end of the 15th century and flourished for more than 200 years. It is, perhaps, best exemplified by the reign (1643-1715) of King Louis XIV of France. His declaration L’Etat, c’est moi (“I am the state”) sums up the concept neatly (Divine Right of Kings). A series of revolutions, beginning with the Glorious Revolution in England (1688), gradually forced the monarchs of Europe to yield their power to parliamentary governments.
Absolutism in the 20th Century
Other forms of absolutism arose in the 20th century, most notably National Socialism in Germany and the Stalinist dictatorship in the USSR. Today absolute rulers are found in many countries, including some of the remaining Communist nations and various Latin American, Middle Eastern, and African countries.
Source: “Absolutisme”Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia
The Legal History of Absolutism
Resources
See Also
- History of Law
Aristocracy
Government Censorship
Natural Law
Public Law Contents
Oligarchy
Political Machines
divine right; Hobbes, Thomas; tyranny of the majority
Further Reading
- Absolutism in the Oxford International Encyclopedia of Legal History (Oxford University Press)
- Skinner, Quentin (1978), The Foundations of Modern Political Thought 1, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Absolutism in the Dictionary of Concepts in History, by Harry Ritter
Leave a Reply