History 240

Absolutism

Objectives

• Understand the definition of “Absolutism” and identify its primary characteristics.

• Observe how it worked in theory and practice.

Absolutism

• An absolute ruler is one who is above all challenge from within the state; opposite of parliamentary government or constitutional monarchy.

Characteristics of Absolutism

• Subjects are loyal to the King as individuals, not abstractly to the Crown as in England.

• Absolute right to proclaim laws, levy taxes, and appoint officials.

• Extinguish significant municipal privileges.

• Need to reassert public order and coercive state authority about 70 years of war and political and social chaos 1590-1660.

• Evident in governments of France, Austria, Sweden, Prussia, and Russia.

Theories of Absolutism

• Supreme power from which all other powers in the state are derived. Not shared with anyone or any body.

• King must respect laws of God and nature. Must refrain from interference in private property.

• Divine right makes power sacred. Heredity makes it paternal.

• Importance of good counsel.

Theories of Absolutism

• Jean Bodin (1530-1596) Six Books of the Republic – Ruler is a father figure of benevolence.

• Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) The Leviathan – Absolutism necessary to avoid anarchy and war. A contractual relationship.

• Jacques Boussuet (1627-1704) Politics Derived from the Holy Scripture No social contract – King rules by divine right. Must look after needs of people. King subject to limits of reason, law and tradition. Necessity of consulting representative institutions. Ruler must behave as untarnished image of God to remain worthy of obedience.

Absolutism in Practice

• Nobility accepts authority of monarch for status and power over peasants.

– Titles and privileges.

– Greater en-serfment.

• Centralized bureaucracy to extract revenue.

– Bureaucracy quadrupled.

– Tax revenue trebled.

• Large standing armies to maintain order and expand control abroad.

– Conscription.

– Peacetime rise to 180,000 in 1690 Wartime 350,000.

Absolutism in Practice

• Celebration of image of ruler in pageantry.

– Create larger than life image.

– Buildings, cities, roads, arches, military displays. Revival of classical architecture.

• Support established churches in return for political control of the church within the state.

– Concordat of Bologna 1516 - Power to French King.

– Russian Tsars control Russian Orthodox Church after 1716.

• Purpose of government to fulfill will of the ruler

– Centralize power and coerce opponents.

Louis XIV (1638-1715): Paragon of Absolutism

• King of France 1643-1715.

• Strong personality determined and able to assert authority.

• Political instability in France required him to assert greater control.

Political Instability

• Louis XIII asserted greater authority over Protestants and the nobility.

• Peasant revolts 1624-1645.

• Fronde Rebellion 1648-1651 – Nobles and Parlements took advantage of peasant revolts and the Regency to protest their loss of ancient privileges and levels of taxation. Barricades set up in Paris and the mob burst into the King’s bedroom.

Louis XIV’s Response

• Declared majority in 1651 and put down the peasant and noble rebellions.

• In 1661, he took personal control of government.

• Appointed the able Jean-Baptiste Colbert as finance minister. Colbert’s reforms trebled revenue from taxation, increased tariffs to benefit French manufacturing.

• Divided government up into specific departments.

• Hired able and talented advisors loyal only to him.

• Stationed troops all over the country and royal officials in more local communities.

Propaganda, Imagery, Pageantry

• Royal propaganda machine portray him as God’s representative and a glorious monarch. The Sun King, Apollo.

• Portrayed as a great military commander; father of the people.

• Spread the message of the importance of obedience.

• Censored French literature and prohibited the importation of books.

Louis XIV and the Nobility

• Struck a deal – surrender authority in relation to the Crown in return for authority on their lands.

• Exempted nobility from taxation.

• Granted titles, honours, and offices in return for loyalty.

• Nobility of the robe vs nobility of sword.

Versailles

Versailles

• Moved his court away from the Parisian mob and enabled him to control the nobility.

• Largest and grandest palace in the world: enormous scale; manicured gardens and park – 1,400 fountains.

• Palace and town housed 10,000 members of the aristocracy.

• Court life structured around ceremony and rank to encourage competition among nobility.

• Centre of European culture: most powerful King of most powerful state – ultimate symbol of royal power. The first true celebrity.

Religion

• Strict Catholic conformity to foster greater unity in the kingdom and eliminate possible sources of rebellion.

• Revoked the Edict of Nantes – exodus of 200,000 Protestants.

• “One King, one law, one faith.”

Louis XIV’s Successes

• Extended boundaries of France.

• Renewed harmonious relation with nobility.

• Great patron of arts – great battles commemorated.

• Stronger position of monarchy – larger army.

• France more powerful in 1690 than 1620.

• Laws codified.

• Opposition of Parlements ended.

• Protestants driven out.

Louis XIV’s Failures

• Could not reduce power of the Pope: divert papal revenue; seize Avignon.

• Could not convert Protestants.

• Became unpopular late in his reign.

• Wars were expensive and failed to achieve his goals.

Limits of Absolutism in France

• Less than 50% spoke French.

• Poor roads and communications.

• Mountains were obstacles.

• Royal intendants required cooperation of local officials.

The Rest of Europe

• Austrian Habsburg Empire was multilingual and multinational – more difficult to control: territories had own institutions; conflict in territories; religious diversity; threat from Turks.

• Prussia – nobles accept royal authority in return for serfdom; large army (50% of state budget) and efficient bureaucracy.

• England and United Provinces: fiscal military state based on consent.

Limits of Absolutism in General

• Obedience towards authority matched by determination to preserve local privilege.

• Bureaucracy was limited and inefficient – communications poor – difficult to make informed decisions. Only in small states could ruler supervise personally.

• Hostility towards despotism – conventions of acceptable royal behavior. Monarchy limited by legality and tradition.

Limits of Absolutism in General

• King could repress dissent but not get what he wanted everywhere he wanted.

• The more decision-making centralized with the King the slower it became – there was too much business.

• Growth in bureaucratic discretion – officials influence King’s decisions. The machine Louis XIV built was too large for him to control.

• Venality of office limited power of the King.

• Absolute kingship was the art of the possible.

Conclusion

• Absolutism - political authority was vested in the King without any formal institutional restraints, but with the restraints of legality and tradition.

• Kings still had to negotiate with nobility and vested interested to achieve his objectives.

• Greater control of the state required a larger bureaucracy, but larger bureaucracy limited personal control of government.

• The ability of the King to exercise absolute power was dependent on the personality of the king and the political, cultural, and geographic characteristics of the state.

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