What is the Meaning & Definition of absolutism
The term absolutism refers to a form of Government in which the Governor or monarch has all the power in his person, power that centralises absolutely (hence its name). Although the form of absolutist Government, i.e., the concentration of power in one person, took place on numerous occasions throughout history, there is no doubt that the most significant time for the absolutism was the 17TH century, moment in which the European Kings concentrated all political, religious, military and economic power. Another of the most important characteristics of absolutism also his idea that the King is the representative of God on Earth, so there is no one who can match him, unless his heirs eventually. One of the most representative of the absolutism was the French King Luis XIV, also known as the Sun King, that which governed at the Palace of Versailles and the selected image refers to which.
Absolutism supposed in this period a closure to the participation of other political institutions if they were not addressed by the King (i.e. the courts, ancient examples of parliamentary institutions). At the same time, absolutism is an identification of the people with their King, which is achieved through symbols and elements representing the Royal family.
The political theory of absolutism corresponds with the theory of Hobbes, who established that life in society, being complex and conflictive, needed a character or unique figure (the Leviathan), which should govern on behalf of all. Then just this single government emerges in the middle of situations of chaos or crisis that oblige members of the society to give up their rights and freedoms so that single figure can carry out governmental activity. Without a doubt, this form of political organization would present each time more and more exaggerations and problems that would end up leading at the end of the 18th century to the French Revolution, responsible for ending the absolute monarchy.
Absolutism supposed in this period a closure to the participation of other political institutions if they were not addressed by the King (i.e. the courts, ancient examples of parliamentary institutions). At the same time, absolutism is an identification of the people with their King, which is achieved through symbols and elements representing the Royal family.
The political theory of absolutism corresponds with the theory of Hobbes, who established that life in society, being complex and conflictive, needed a character or unique figure (the Leviathan), which should govern on behalf of all. Then just this single government emerges in the middle of situations of chaos or crisis that oblige members of the society to give up their rights and freedoms so that single figure can carry out governmental activity. Without a doubt, this form of political organization would present each time more and more exaggerations and problems that would end up leading at the end of the 18th century to the French Revolution, responsible for ending the absolute monarchy.