Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
The rise of absolute monarchs
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: The rise of absolute monarchs
How does the idea of an absolute leader both compare and contrast with those of a dictatorship?
Throughout history there have been many types of governments in our world. For example, two types of governments that have been around for a while are an absolute monarchy and a dictatorship. These two governments are very different from one another. The main difference between the two is that an absolute leader’s power is granted to them by God, however in a dictatorship the ruler’s power does not come from God. Also, an absolute monarchy is only one leader whereas a dictatorship can be either an individual leader or a small group of people. Despite their differences, these two governments are also similar to each other in a variety of ways.
…show more content…
In other words an absolute leader has the divine right to rule, but dictators don’t have the divine right to rule. One thing these two forms of governments share in common though, is that they both give absolute power to the ruler. However, although an absolute leader can indeed make their own laws, they usually needed the support of the clergy or nobility. Another difference between an absolute monarch and a dictatorship is how the ruler receives their power. In a dictatorship the ruler takes their power by using force. On the other hand, in an absolute monarchy once someone is an absolute leader then the following rulers inherit their power through bloodline.
Since both absolute leaders and dictatorships have absolute power the ruler can do anything they want without anyone telling them otherwise, their power can lead to problems in their country or nation. However, these types of governments can also be beneficial. For example, although absolute power may can trouble at times, it can also make the government more efficient since only one person has the power to decide what is best for the country. An absolute monarchy can also be advantageous, because the way power is inherited makes the transfer of power
According to the text book, an absolute monarch is a king or queen who has unlimited power and seeks to control all aspects of society (McDougall little, 1045). In more simple terms, it is a ruler who can do just about anything without having to get permission from anyone, or having to worry about the repercussions. This was a trend that started in the 1600’s by European leaders who were rich, and didn’t like to be told what to do. These conflicts arose with the States-General in France, or Parliament in England who had substantial control. The first countries to have absolute rulers were the traditionally strong countries, such as England, Spain, and of course Louis XIV’s France.
Absolute monarchy (Absolutism), it is a form of monarchy in which a single ruler has supreme authority and it is not restricted by any written laws or customs. An example of absolutism monarchy is French King Louis XIV, Russian Tsar Peter the Great, or English King Henry VIII. Democracy is a system of government by elected representatives or officials. Example of democracy is the United States. These type of government exist in the 17th and 18th century in Europe. So the question is, which type of government was considered the most effective in Europe? In my opinion, I believe that absolutism was the most effective in Europe.
Absolute Monarchy was a major form of government in Europe during the Renaissance. The monarch of that country controlled every aspect of their country and acts as the undisputed head of state. Whether economic, social, religious, or domestic the monarch had his say in every matter in their country. While except in places like the Middle East and Africa, absolute monarchs have ceased to exist, their policies and actions are used in the governments of today.
When the term “monarch” is used, the first thing that comes to mind is a bombastic king and queen with unlimited power. The reality is, this is not always true. The definition of a monarch is “someone who is the head of a state government, either in reality or symbolically” (Nederman 2). Such a government is known as a monarchy. A monarch usually either inherits sovereignty by birth or is elected. Either way, a monarch typically rules for life or until abdication. Depending on the type of government in place, the “monarch’s true power varies from one monarchy to another” (Nederman 2). They may be complete tyrants, known as an absolute monarchy. On the other hand, they may be ceremonial heads of state who exercise little or no power and are only a figure head which is known as a constitutional monarchy (Nederman 2). These different types of governments have all been around for about the same amount of time. However, some are more renowned than others.
A dictator is a ruler with total power over a country, typically one who has obtained power by force, and generally not liked by the community. The major dictators of the 20th century left an infamous legacy behind them, all using similar tactics during their reign. Mussolini, dictator of Italy from 1922 to 1942, used his power to abolish all other political parties in Italy, thus making him superior. Hitler gained dictatorship in the 1930’s. In that time, he purged opposition and used his newly confiscated power to create his definition of superior humans, annihilating entire groups due to them not meeting his criteria for appropriate human value.
Absolutism is a type of government that is ruled by an absolute ruler. They claim to rule by divine right, meaning that God chooses them to rule. Citizens have no part in determining who will lead their country. Because of this, most absolutist rulers are inclined to be boastful, self-centered, greedy, and ruthless. They are in control of every part of their land, including “…competing jurisdictions, institutions…interest groups,” and “…religious sects” (McKay), in their territories, and they constantly desire to expand. War is the only solution, so kings have to have a strong and organized army. “Discipline is the soul of armies; without it there are no soldiers, only confusion and defeat” (Oakeshott). Brutal rulers, such as Adolf Hitler, Ivan the Terrible, and Genghis Khan, had exceptional armies.
Since the beginning of the sixteenth century, Western Europe experienced multiple types of rulers which then led to the belief that rulers should be a combination of leadership types. Some rulers were strong, some weak, and some were considered to rule as tyrants. All of these were versions of absolutism which gave kings absolute power over their provinces and countries. Over time kings began to believe that their supreme power was given to them by God in a belief known as Divine Right. The people looked at Divine Right kings as those who would incorporate God’s will into their politics; however, many kings took this power and turned it into tyrannical opportunities. By the time the seventeenth century came around, kings continued to believe in Divine Right and absolute power which continued to create many tyrannical kings and caused many of the people to begin to fight the king’s power by granting some rights to the people. These uprisings led to more people believing that they have certain rights that the king cannot ignore. By the eighteenth century, many rulers started to combine their absolute power with including the newly granted rights of the people. The belief also shifted from Divine Right to one that the people gave the king his power which led to kings like Frederick II of Prussia to rule with his people’s interests in mind.
The absolute monarchy, while similar to general monarchy, goes further in dissatisfaction. In this regime, the ruler believes they derive authority from a god or multiple deities (Perry, 24). Commanding military and judicial systems, the ruler is in a position of authority, limiting rights and suppressing freedoms.
European monarchs from the Early Modern Era were indeed justified in their decision to wield complete power over everyone else. Absolute monarchs have proven time and time again that their ruling style greatly benefits their people if done correctly. While many people in today’s society would argue that having an absolute ruler would be an unwise decision, you must take in consideration the fact that they have a bias opinion based of their current government. Rulers like Catherine the Great and Maria Theresa are known for doing great things and that further proves the advantages of establishing a monarchy. Even though absolute rulers are rare now, that doesn’t change the fact that it is every efficient.
a few ways a dictatorship has advantages over democracy it's more efficient. A dictatorship is a
Bullies vs. Dictators When we hear the word “bully”, we normally think of little kids picking on other little kids. However, though bullying is an adolescent phase as well, grown adults can threaten other adults, too. On another note, a dictator, which seems to be an adult bully on a larger scale, misuses their power and controls a nation with a posse. They mostly use violence in order to scare citizens into changing their ways of life. Bullies and dictators are very similar because they use violence, they feel superior in their position and they tend to have their own cliques but they’re different in degree.
Informative Speech Peer Assessment - Mayra Ceballos Mayra’s speech was to inform the audience about Mexicans crossing the border illegally to the United States. Specifically, it was about unaccompanied minors who crossed the border due to poverty, violence, and family reunification. Overall, Mayra did an extraordinary job in the use of suitable visuals and the organization of her speech. However, a couple things that she could focus more on for the next assignment is the delivery of her speech in vocal variety and articulation.
In this context, an absolute monarch would be revolve around a single leader (usually a king) that would make decisions without the assistance of the aristocracy, such as a the nobility, the parliament, or other organizations that include the interest of wealthy families or government officials. In this case, the king would act alone in deciding the political, economic, and military decisions of the people, which would illustrate the absolute power that is wielded by the individual making the decisions. This governmental interpretation of the term “absolute” defines how a king would rule without the interference or inhibitions of an aristocracy or democratic form of government. Of course, the realization of this type o government can be better explained through the context of the absolute monarchy in France, which was founded in the leadership of king Louis
However often the latter definition is used, it is also disagreed with, and for good reason: there is always a ruler, although the ruler may not necessarily be in the form of a person or group of persons. Take, for instance, the human body. It consists of basically three things, as far as ruling powers are concerned: prudence, will, and raw appetite. Raw appetite can be looked at as what we have without reason, will is what can control raw appetite (or desires that we have without reason), and prudence is that which provides a choice between will and raw appetite. Prudence has the ability to choose between the two options. This is just one example of how a ruler must always exist, although it may not have a physical form.
Constitutional monarchy can be described as a form of government in which a monarch acts as the head of state but functions within the parameters or guidelines of a written and/or unwritten constitution. Although the government may function officially in the monarch’s name, the monarch does not set public policies or choose the political leaders. Constitutional monarchy therefore differs from absolute monarchy where the monarch controls political decision making without being restricted by constitutional constraints. Consequently, a constitutional monarch has often been defined as a sovereign who reigns but does not rule. Constitutional monarchies have also been called limited monarchies, crowned republics or parliamentary monarchies.