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Absolutism Constitutionalism

Absolutism Constitutionalism. Absolutism : France, Spain, Russia, Austria, and Prussia Constitutionalism : England and United Provinces. Modern State: The Setting. Wars of Religion. Contests between Aristocrats and Royalty Examples??? Social Dislocation Agricultural Disasters

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Absolutism Constitutionalism

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  1. AbsolutismConstitutionalism Absolutism: France, Spain, Russia, Austria, and Prussia Constitutionalism: England and United Provinces

  2. Modern State: The Setting Wars of Religion • Contests between Aristocrats and Royalty • Examples??? • Social Dislocation • Agricultural Disasters • Economic Disasters Effect of such things?

  3. Spain and France already Control the Church How? Why? When? • England and German Principalities Create National Church Church control versus National Church? • Treaty of Westphalia Religious unity broken!

  4. Loyalties are with the nation!NOT Church!France, England, Spain claimed loyalty of their people!

  5. People are more connected with the state Nobility has been weakened Merchants and towns increase power of monarch Desperate times call for desperate measures!

  6. Sovereign • Possession of monopoly over instruments of justice and use of force within clearly define boundaries. • No system of courts compete with State courts. • Private armies may exist but present no threat to state’s army • Royal Law touches everyone

  7. Sovereignty is on the rise, however, who will posses power? • Monarch = Absolutism • “Law” [Nobility and Merchant Class] = Constitutionalism

  8. Hobbes • Bousset Absolutism • Sovereignty embodied in ruler • Not restrained • Rule by Divine Right • Old ruled by Grace of God • New ruled by Divine Right of Kings • Thomas Hobbes is a champion of this view

  9. Parliaments and Estates met at the wish of the Monarch • Absolute Monarchs maintained their own standing armies • Key to power was how ruler solved Financial Problems

  10. Dealing with Financial Problems • Make deals with Nobility (granted tax exemption for sum payments now and staying out of Monarchs way) • Steady raising of taxes on Common Class • Creation of Economic Bureaucracies

  11. Bureaucracies • Old Bureaucracies • Officials treated office as private property • Inheritance of office common • Used to advance personal needs • New Bureaucracies • Officials serve the public, not themselves • Distinguished between state duties and private desires

  12. 17th c. Absolutism vs 20th c. Totalitarianism • Absolutism lacked total financial and military resources • Totalitarianism controlled all financial and military resources • Absolutism lacked technology and ability to completely govern and control public opinion • Totalitarianism controlled public opinion

  13. 17th c. Absolutism, however, predicted 20th c. Totalitarianism • Both glorified the State above all else • Both used war and expansionism to divert attention away from domestic ills

  14. Constitutionalism • Limitation of Governmental powers by law • Implies a balance between authority/power of government and the rights/liberties of subjects • Binding force is acknowledgement that government must respect a constitution

  15. People look to the constitution, NOT the ruler as the protector of rights and liberties • Sovereignty lies in the Electorate • Differs from Democracy • Democracy: all the people get to participate, not just a few • Constitutionalist Countries, only a few were the electorate • Not everyone was represented

  16. Things to Consider as we go… • Spain and France were ‘destined’ to be Absolutist. Why? • What prevented Spain and France from becoming Constitutional? • England and the United Provinces were ‘destined’ to be Constitutional. Why? • What prevented Eng and UP from becoming Absolutist?

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