1 / 8

Absolutism vs. Constitutionalism

Absolutism vs. Constitutionalism. Pre-conditions. Since mid-17th century new tendencies in political thinking and philosophy Connected with Enlightenment („Enlightened Absolutism“) Absolutism as system of modern statehood Absolutism as period: notion of despotism, unchecked monarchic power

solomon-henson
Download Presentation

Absolutism vs. Constitutionalism

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Absolutism vs. Constitutionalism

  2. Pre-conditions • Since mid-17th century new tendencies in political thinking and philosophy • Connected with Enlightenment („Enlightened Absolutism“) • Absolutism as system of modern statehood • Absolutism as period: notion of despotism, unchecked monarchic power • Why different from earlier periods, forms of statehood?

  3. The Specificity of Absolutism • Enlightenment as background • Increasing claim by monarchs for full authority over territorial state • No princely responsibility to higher authority (e.g. law) • „L‘état, c‘est moi.“ • Legitimacy derived exclusively from God

  4. Modern Elements in Absolutism • Centralised administration • New developments in warfare • Outer appearance of rule: e.g. royal palaces (Versailles) • Rationality as main principle, esp. in social and economic policy (mercantilism) • Religious tolerance • Goal: public wealth • Increasing importance of national principle

  5. Versailles

  6. Pre-requisites • Increasing readiness of local nobility to cooperate • Reasons: desire for stability • Pre-history: ongoing warfare (30 Years War, French civil war „Fronde“ 1648-53, British civil wars, Oliver Cromwell)

  7. Characteristics • Royal power not really „absolute“ • Ideological foundations (e.g. Louis XIV. as „Sun King“), „Gloire“ as motivation • Militant: expansionist wars in Europe (French-Spanish war 1668-72, Spanish succession war 1701-14, Silesian wars)

  8. Constitutionalist Developments • Enlightened political thinking: Voltaire, Locke, Robbespierre, Kant • Constitutional statehood: Poland (Szlachta, constitution 1791, USA 1776, French Revolution 1789) • Enlightened „restricted“ Absolutism survives in large parts of Europe until 20th century

More Related