While the taxation enforced on the citizens of the Netherland Provinces was quite heavy and detrimental to their economy, a worse tactic used by King Philip II to keep the presence of his domination in the states was centralization. Centralization is defined as being “the concentration of administrative power in a central government, authority, etc”, which means that the Spanish administered either specific laws, or gave away political patronage to the King’s most loyal trustees in order to maintain the Netherland Provinces under one single authority (Centralization np). To begin with, one of the most prominent ways that Philip used centralization was through his appointment of Margaret of Parma as the governor of the Netherlands (Blok 1). …show more content…
Margaret was the half-sister of King Philip and the illegitimate daughter of the former Holy Roman Emperor Charles V and his mistress Johanna (Blok 2). Many were surprised at her appointment as the governor, as they had expected Philip to appoint one of his two other, full sisters; and they were even more surprised at the governor’s austere ways. While many of the Provinces’ nobles and princes had expected the governor to play the role of a mere figurehead as they took complete political control, Margaret had a quite contrasting way of ruling. She completely ignored the nobles and only took the advice of Granvelle, the bishop of Arras, a close advisor to Philip. (Blok 3). With Granvelle, the governor led her personal council, often known as the consulta, which decided every item of administration before letting an issue get to the council of state, privy council, or finance council (Blok 3). The helpless situation the nobles found themselves was quite ironic, as one would expect the leaders of the states to have at least some say in their land’s
Established a government that was made of the king, the kuhina nui, and the chiefs-in council, along with the representatives.
Anne Boleyn in the spring of 1536 and the consolidation of power at court and in
The government within the monarchical society was populated by the aristocracy. It was they who were depended upon for directing the course of governmental affairs. The controls of all co...
In seeing interests too varied, a ruler or executive is forced to impose domination onto the people he is supposed to serve (Montesquieu 140). This not only once again corrupts the principles of democracy, but it also weakens the entire collective of states. Such domination incites the people to rise up against those that govern them and to expel them and challenge their ability to govern and lead a free people – much as Shay’s rebellion demonstrates. Montesquieu is wise here to realize that the only way to govern large swaths of land is only through monarchy and despotism – that of which we have only so recently freed ourselves from (142). When large amounts of territory are placed under a single government, the only way it can govern itself is through coercion and force. In a mid-sized territory, failure to do so leads to the rise of an aristocracy that will, much like the aforementioned wealthy man, will see the oppression of their fellow man as the means necessary to advance their own wealth (Montesquieu 141). In a large territory, despotic command becomes necessary to ensure that the laws and powers of the government are followed quickly and immediately so that the territory can be adequately governed (Montesquieu 142). Both of these would lead to violence and the destruction of liberty and
Every group of ten syphogrants with their households there is another official, once called the tranibor but now known as the head phylarch. All the syphogrants, two hundred in number, are brought together to elect the prince. They take an oath to choose the man they think best qualified; and then by secret ballot they elect they prince from among four men nominated by the people of the four sections of the city. The prince holds office for life, unless he is suspected of aiming at a t...
Is the purpose of government today, similar to that of philosophers of the past, or has there been a shift in political thought? This essay will argue that according to Machiavelli’s The Prince, the purpose of government is to ensure the stability of the state as well as the preservation of the established ruler’s control, and that the best form of government should take the form of an oligarchy. In contrast, in his book, Leviathan, Thomas Hobbes argues that the purpose of government should be to preserve the peace and security of men and, that the best form of government would be an absolute monarchy which would sanction such conditions. This essay will utilize themes of glory, material advantage, peace and stability to illustrate
Catherine Van Cortlandt was a loyalist. She raised nine children, for the most part alone, while her husband Philip was part of the British military. Soon after Philip left to go fight for the British, Light Horsemen rushed through the door of Catherine's mansion, frightening the family. The men asked questions regarding her husband and when he would be returning. One of the men waved his sword around while interrogating Catherine and saying "If he was to be found alive on Earth, I would take him or have his heart's blood" (Marcus 124). Catherine's children were terrified by this statement and one of them said "Oh my dear Pappa, they will kill him, they will kill him" (Marcus 124). The children rushed to the nursery to get away from these evil men. The Light Horsemen knew that Philip would return home soon since he could not stand to be away from his family for long. Every night, the Van Cortlandt mansion was surrounded by eighteen or twenty men. Catherine's female neighbors now only visit her out of curiosity of what is going on with the family. When workers such as farmers and people who work in the mills find out who she is, they do not perform their service for her. At one point, she ran out of food to provide to her family, and therefore, the c...
A longstanding debate in human history is what to do with power and what is the best way to rule. Who should have power, how should one rule, and what its purpose should government serve have always been questions at the fore in civilization, and more than once have sparked controversy and conflict. The essential elements of rule have placed the human need for order and structure against the human desire for freedom, and compromising between the two has never been easy. It is a question that is still considered and argued to this day. However, the argument has not rested solely with military powers or politicians, but philosophers as well. Two prominent voices in this debate are Plato and Machiavelli, both of whom had very different ideas of government's role in the lives of its people. For Plato, the essential service of government is to allow its citizens to live in their proper places and to do the things that they are best at. In short, Plato's government reinforces the need for order while giving the illusion of freedom. On the other hand, Machiavelli proposes that government's primary concern is to remain intact, thereby preserving stability for the people who live under it. The feature that both philosophers share is that they attempt to compromise between stability and freedom, and in the process admit that neither can be totally had.
council which was first formed in 1712. The Superior Council was well liked by the
Although Charles V’s reign was not as successful as he would have liked, he is credited with carrying on the very powerful Hapsburg line. All of the children he fathered went on to continue it. His son, Phillip II, married Mary of England (7) who is also known as Bloody Mary (13). This marriage made him Queen Elizabeth I of England’s brother-in-law. Marriages of Charles V’s descendents to the royal elite of Europe assured the Hapsburg legacy for many generations to follow (7).
In the first few chapters Gaskell offers various examples of what the traditional woman of England is like. Margaret’s early descriptions in Chapter 7, characterize the beautiful, gentle femininity so idolized. Margaret is beautiful in her own way, she is very conscious of her surroundings. She is privileged in her own way by being in a respectable position in the tranquil village of Helstone. Throughout the beginning of the novel it is eluded that Margaret has the onset of a mature middle class mentality. During the planning of her beloved cousin Edith Shaw’s wedding, Margaret comments on Edith seemingly oblivious demeanor, as the house is chaos in preparations. Edith tries hard to please expectation of her social class. She is privileged and beautiful; angelic and innocent, she is the perfect idyllic, ignorant child bride, designed to please. For Margaret, “...the prospect of soon losing her companion seemed to give force to every sweet quality and charm which Edith possessed”(Gaskell, 7). It is in this passage that the readers familiarize themselves with Margaret’s keen ability to see and perceive the differences between her and her cousin’s manor. Edith poses the calm demure and angelic tranquility a woman is decreed to posses. Unsurprisingly at the brink of commotion Margaret observes that, “the whispered tone had latterly become more drowsy; and Margaret, after a pause of
Private property is prohibited among the guardians, for they are meant to survive on the rations of the state (Plato 415c). Collective ownership was allowed, for it promoted common pursuits of common interests. For Plato, ari...
Margaret of Valois in Queen Margot undergoes a transformation from a seductress to a virtuous woman as a...
who possess knowledge of the good should be the governors in a city state. His
A government was required to lead the people and aid in organizing a city. City governments were far more powerful than the council of elders and local chiefs of farming villages. At first, Priest probably had the greatest. In time, warrior kings came to power as chief political leaders. They soon set themselves up as the chief hereditary ruler and passed their power from father to son. Governments soon became more complex as rulers issued laws, collected taxes, and organizes systems of defense. To enforce order, rulers relied on royal officials. Over time, government bureaucracies evolved. Almost always rulers claimed their power came from god or divine right. These rulers then gained religious power as well.