He European absolutism Is the denomination of a political period that took place in Europe and that distinguished by being despotic and authoritarian. The absolute state was protected by divine laws that justified its existence.
Absolutism began in Europe in the fifteenth century as a form of government in which the monarch was the highest authority. After the religious wars and the devastation that these meant for the continent, there was a mode of government based on the single and absolute authority.
The theory of the divine right of the power was born in the last quarter of century XVI, in an atmosphere of religious wars in France. In Europe the king's divinization posited that the representative of God was the king and who was against the king disobeyed God.
In European absolutism, the monarch to laws according to their interests, which used to be confused with those of the state. Hence the famous phrase of Louis XIV"Lest moi"or"The State am I".
The monarchic class was constituted by groups of nobles, who were attributed functions of advisers and direct assistants of the king in his decisions.
The political power of that time had no authority other than the judgment of the monarch. In Europe, absolutism begins in the Modern Age and coincides with the development of mercantilism .
The establishment of absolutism caused a substantial change in the conception of the dependence of the intermediate authorities between the subject and the state, a situation that led to the creation of an effective bureaucracy and a permanent army.
Absolutism is a widespread phenomenon in Europe, France and Spain. Although the only perfect and finished absolutism is French.
He End of absolutism Was marked by the French Revolution of 1789, which slaughtered the king to prove that his blood was not blue and replaced the monarchy by the bourgeoisie.
Principles of European Absolutism
From the beginning of the fifteenth century until the first part of the sixteenth century, there was a first phase of absolutism in formation, characterized by the gradual concentration of power in the hands of the monarch, although the religious power still had limitations.
- Divine Right: the monarch had the word and the will of God, therefore had the divine right to do his will in the name of God.
- Hereditary power and life: the power usually fell on the eldest son of the king and he held it until he died.
- Absolute power: the king did not have to consult any organ or person his decisions. There were no bodies that balanced the balance of power
- Statistical society: in the period of absolute monarchies society was divided into social classes. The privileged classes were the monarchy and the clergy, while in lower strata were the peasants, bourgeois and other wage earners.
- Centralized administration: the collection of the taxes was part of the wealth of the king, who used the collected thing to maintain the army and to accumulate riches.
In what countries did absolutism take place in Europe?
Absolutism took place in several countries belonging to Europe, among them the best known: France, Russia, Spain, Sweden, England, Portugal and Austria.
- France: in France occurred the most complete and known absolutism. Its most notable representatives were Louis XIII, Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI, who ended up being beheaded in the middle of the French Revolution.
- Russia: it is called Tsarism, but they are practically the same precepts of absolutism. In Russia are famous Peter I, Ivan IV, Miguel III, Catherine the great and Nicholas II, that was overthrown by the Bolshevik revolution of 1917.
- Spain: Felipe V, Fernando VII, Fernando V and José I stand out. Spain continues to have a monarch but under the facade of constitutional monarchy .
- England: the English nobility was sui generis in admitting the existence of the parliament. Its most known representatives are Charles II, James II, Henry VII and Elizabeth I.
- Sweden: Swedish absolutism had its top representatives in Charles X and Charles XI, the latter being famous for the reconstruction of Sweden after the war period.
Louis XIV of France (big picture), Philip V of Spain and Elizabeth I of England
Absolutism caused the emergence of the Illustration , The rise of the bourgeoisie and the French Revolution.
Causes of European absolutism
The religious wars and the idea of the superiority by divine design are the triggers that give rise to the absolutist period. Even the kings took potions that, according to them made their veins look more blue than those of the rest, which made them suppose that they had blue blood.
The conquest of America led Spain and Portugal to gather large quantities of wealth in silver and gold, which demonstrated the success of the absolutist system in force in those countries over their neighbors.
The decadence of the feudalism And of the feudal lords because of the crusades. The concentration of power allowed the territorial union of the countries.
In view of the need to merge large military forces, as in the case of the One Hundred Years War between France and the British Empire, the states created regular armies under the command of the king, and no longer by feudal lords dispersed and incommunicado.
Consequences
During absolutism the inequality and decadence of the lower classes increased. Privileges were directed only to nobles and clerics, whose rights were superior to those of the majority regardless of the living conditions of the rest.
The political model of the absolute monarchy has as central feature the concentration of all the power in the king without control or limits of any type. Fortunately, countries are advancing in power-balancing models.
The longing for power, led the European kings to face politics, economically and militarily for continental and world hegemony. It was an eminent period bloody by the voracity of power and control of the monarchs.
The philosophy of illustration enjudges all these precepts and sets in motion the constitution of modern states with liberties and balance of powers to avoid the tyranny that caused absolute power.
References
- EcuRed (2016) Absolutism. Retrieved from: ecured.cu.
- Rivero, P. (2005) Merchants and finance in Europe of the sixteenth century. Editorial Complutense. Madrid Spain.
- Pérez, J; Gardey, A. (2009) Absolutism. Recovered from: definicion.de.
- Collaborators Wikipedia (2017) European absolutism. Retrieved from: en.wikipedia.org.
- Perry, A. (1979) The Absolutist State. Editorial Alianza. Spain.
- Butrón, G. (2016) French intervention and the crisis of absolutism. Alba Editorial. Spain.