In philosophy, the term absolutism is a contrast to relativism in any of its senses.
In its political sense, a description (more frequently than justification) of government without constitutional restrictions. The authority to govern cannot be qualified or restricted, because if it is, whatever restricts it is itself the final power.
Historically, one form it has taken has been the doctrine of the ‘divine right of Kings’, which was popular in Stuart England.
Though this doctrine was expressed in the course of 16th and 17th century debates over sovereignty, the term absolutism became current only in the 19th century to describe regimes having either such a character or such an aspiration.
Notable supporters of political absolutism have included Friedrich Hegel and Benito Mussolini.
Source: David Miller et al, eds The Blackwell Encyclopaedia of Political Thought (Oxford, 1987).
Table of Contents
- 1 Related Products
- 1.1 Famous People of the World - Famous Kings & Queens - Queen Elizabeth I
- 1.2 Crisis, Absolutism, Revolution: Europe and the World, 1648-1789, 3rd Edition
- 1.3 The Hellenistic World
- 1.4 French Absolutism - 1589 - 1715
- 1.5 Absolutism and Society in Seventeenth-Century France: State Power and Provincial Aristocracy in Languedoc (Cambridge Studies in Early Modern History)
- 1.6 Absolutism
- 1.7 Charles XI and Swedish Absolutism, 1660-1697 (Cambridge Studies in Early Modern History)
- 1.8 The Crash of Absolutism by Mutual Concepts (2007-06-12)
- 1.9 Absolutismus II / Absolutism II, 1 DVD
- 1.10 Louis XIV and Absolutism: A Brief History with Documents: A Brief Study with Documents (The Bedford Series in History and Culture)
- 1.11 Related:
- 2 Videos
- 3 Related Products
- 3.1 Famous People of the World - Famous Kings & Queens - Queen Elizabeth I
- 3.2 Crisis, Absolutism, Revolution: Europe and the World, 1648-1789, 3rd Edition
- 3.3 The Hellenistic World
- 3.4 French Absolutism - 1589 - 1715
- 3.5 Absolutism and Society in Seventeenth-Century France: State Power and Provincial Aristocracy in Languedoc (Cambridge Studies in Early Modern History)
- 3.6 Absolutism
- 3.7 Charles XI and Swedish Absolutism, 1660-1697 (Cambridge Studies in Early Modern History)
- 3.8 The Crash of Absolutism by Mutual Concepts (2007-06-12)
- 3.9 Absolutismus II / Absolutism II, 1 DVD
- 3.10 Louis XIV and Absolutism: A Brief History with Documents: A Brief Study with Documents (The Bedford Series in History and Culture)
Famous People of the World - Famous Kings & Queens - Queen Elizabeth I
- Amazon Prime Video (Video on Demand)
- Konovalova Irina (Director)
- English (Playback Language)
- English (Subtitle)
Crisis, Absolutism, Revolution: Europe and the World, 1648-1789, 3rd Edition
- Birn, Raymond (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 594 Pages - 08/01/2005 (Publication Date) - University of Toronto Press, Higher Education Division (Publisher)
The Hellenistic World
- Amazon Prime Video (Video on Demand)
- The Great Courses (Producer)
- English (Playback Language)
- English (Subtitle)
French Absolutism - 1589 - 1715
- Amazon Prime Video (Video on Demand)
- Robert Bucholz (Writer) - The Great Courses (Producer)
- English (Playback Language)
- English (Subtitle)
Absolutism and Society in Seventeenth-Century France: State Power and Provincial Aristocracy in Languedoc (Cambridge Studies in Early Modern History)
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Beik, William (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 394 Pages - 05/09/1985 (Publication Date) - Cambridge University Press (Publisher)
Charles XI and Swedish Absolutism, 1660-1697 (Cambridge Studies in Early Modern History)
- Hardcover Book
- Upton, A. F. (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 312 Pages - 06/28/1998 (Publication Date) - Cambridge University Press (Publisher)
The Crash of Absolutism by Mutual Concepts (2007-06-12)
- Audio CD – Audiobook
Absolutismus II / Absolutism II, 1 DVD
- English (Publication Language)
Louis XIV and Absolutism: A Brief History with Documents: A Brief Study with Documents (The Bedford Series in History and Culture)
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Beik, William (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 272 Pages - 01/20/2000 (Publication Date) - Bedford/St. Martin's (Publisher)
Videos
Famous People of the World - Famous Kings & Queens - Queen Elizabeth I
- Amazon Prime Video (Video on Demand)
- Konovalova Irina (Director)
- English (Playback Language)
- English (Subtitle)
Crisis, Absolutism, Revolution: Europe and the World, 1648-1789, 3rd Edition
- Birn, Raymond (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 594 Pages - 08/01/2005 (Publication Date) - University of Toronto Press, Higher Education Division (Publisher)
The Hellenistic World
- Amazon Prime Video (Video on Demand)
- The Great Courses (Producer)
- English (Playback Language)
- English (Subtitle)
French Absolutism - 1589 - 1715
- Amazon Prime Video (Video on Demand)
- Robert Bucholz (Writer) - The Great Courses (Producer)
- English (Playback Language)
- English (Subtitle)
Absolutism and Society in Seventeenth-Century France: State Power and Provincial Aristocracy in Languedoc (Cambridge Studies in Early Modern History)
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Beik, William (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 394 Pages - 05/09/1985 (Publication Date) - Cambridge University Press (Publisher)
Charles XI and Swedish Absolutism, 1660-1697 (Cambridge Studies in Early Modern History)
- Hardcover Book
- Upton, A. F. (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 312 Pages - 06/28/1998 (Publication Date) - Cambridge University Press (Publisher)
The Crash of Absolutism by Mutual Concepts (2007-06-12)
- Audio CD – Audiobook
Absolutismus II / Absolutism II, 1 DVD
- English (Publication Language)
Louis XIV and Absolutism: A Brief History with Documents: A Brief Study with Documents (The Bedford Series in History and Culture)
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Beik, William (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 272 Pages - 01/20/2000 (Publication Date) - Bedford/St. Martin's (Publisher)
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