States under absolute monarchies are shown in purple

Absolute monarchy is a monarchical form of government where the ruler has the power to rule his or her land or country and its citizens freely, with no laws or legally-organized direct opposition in force. Although some religious authority may be able to discourage the monarch from some acts and the sovereign is expected to act according to custom, in an absolute monarchy there is no constitution or body of law above what is decreed by the sovereign (king or queen). As a theory of civics, absolute monarchy puts total trust in well-bred and well-trained monarchs raised for the role from birth. This article is becoming very long. ... -1... An Autocracy is a form of government in which unlimited power is held by a single individual. ... Despotism is a form of government by a single authority, either a single person (ie. ... It has been suggested that Dictator be merged into this article or section. ... Kleptocracy (sometimes Cleptocracy) (root: Klepto+cracy = rule by thieves) is a pejorative, informal term for a government so corrupt that no pretense of honesty remains. ... This article or section is missing references or citation of sources. ... Places where monarchies maintain rule appear in blue. ... Constitutional monarchies with representative parliamentary systems are shown in red A constitutional monarchy is a form of monarchical government established under a constitutional system which acknowledges an elected or hereditary monarch as head of state. ... Ochlocracy (Greek: οχλοκρατια; Latin: ochlocratia) is government by mob or a disorganized mass of people. ... Oligarchy is a political regime where most or all political power effectively rests with a small segment of society (typically the most powerful, whether by wealth, family, military strength, ruthlessness, or political influence). ... Panarchism is a political philosophy advocating the peaceful co-existence of all political systems, where each individual may voluntarily adhere to the system of their choice, free to join and leave the jurisdiction of the governments he sees fit. ... Patriarchy (from Greek: patria meaning father and arché meaning rule) is the anthropological term used to define the sociological condition where male members of a society tend to predominate in positions of power; with the more powerful the position, the more likely it is that a male will hold that... A plutocracy is a form of government where all the states decisions are centralized in an affluent wealthy class of citizenry, and the degree of economic inequality is high while the level of social mobility is low. ... A gerontocracy is a form of oligarchical rule in which an entity is ruled by a small clique of leaders, in which the oldest hold the most power. ... Technocracy (techno for technology and cracy for power) is an organizational system in which decision makers and political leaders are selected on the basis of technological knowledge —often because of some conflict or competition where technological escalation is a constant feature. ... The term theocracy is commonly used to describe a form of government in which a religion or faith plays the dominant role. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Places where monarchies maintain rule appear in blue. ... Please wikify (format) this article as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... Wiktionary has related dictionary definitions, such as: country In political geography and international politics a country is a geographical territory. ... This article or section is missing references or citation of sources. ... Look up monarch in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Look up monarch in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A queen regnant is a female monarch who possesses all the monarchal powers that a king would have without regard to gender. ... Civics is the science of comparative government and means of administering public trusts - the theory of governance as applied to state institutions. ... Breeding has several meanings related to procreation: In animal husbandry and in horticulture the selection of stock for propagation and the act of insemination by natural or artificial means is called breeding. ...

In theory, an absolute monarch has total power over his or her people and land, including the aristocracy and sometimes the clergy (see caesaropapism), but in practice, absolute monarchs have often found their power limited.-1... Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. ... Caesaropapism is the concept of combining the power of secular government with, or making it supreme to, the spiritual authority of the Christian Church; most especially, the inter-penetration of the theological authority of the Christian Church with the legal/juridical authority of the government; in its extreme form, it...

Some monarchies have powerless or symbolic parliaments and other governmental bodies that the monarch can alter or dissolve at will. Despite effectively being absolute monarchies, they are technically constitutional monarchies due to the existence of a constitution and national canon of law. For related meanings see also Monarch (disambiguation) A monarchy, (from the Greek monos archein, meaning one ruler) is a form of government that has a monarch as Head of State. ... A constitutional monarchy is a form of government established under a constitutional system which acknowledges a hereditary or elected monarch as head of state. ...

Modern examples

True absolute monarchies

The remaining states that are technical absolute monarchies in the modern world are Bhutan, Brunei, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Swaziland and the United Arab Emirates. One might also add that the Vatican City state, headed by an elected monarch who has absolute power, is also an absolute monarchy. The King of Bhutan, Jigme Singye Wangchuk, has voluntarily announced reforms which would usher in constitutional monarchy and a two-party democracy by 2008. It is not clear how much power King Wangchuk or his successor Prince Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck would retain in the new system. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Absolute Power is the name of several works: Absolute Power (book), a novel by David Baldacci Absolute Power (film), a film, based on Baldaccis novel, directed by and starring Clint Eastwood Absolute Power (comedy), a British radio and television comedy series Absolute Power (band), a rap group responsible for... Jigme Singye Wangchuk, or in a pronunciation-based Romanization Jimi Singgê Wangchu (born November 11, 1955) is the king of Bhutan. ... Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck is the Crown Prince of Buthan. ...

Constitutional monarchies with powerful monarchs

In Jordan and Tonga, the monarch, although not absolute, retains considerable power. Nepal was run by King Gyanendra as an absolute monarchy from 2002 but following the 2006 Loktantra Andolan democracy has been restored. In Liechtenstein, nearly two-thirds of the tiny principality's electorate have agreed to give Prince Hans Adam veto power he asked for. Although this does not make Hans Adam an absolute monarch, it makes him closer to being an absolute monarch than almost all other royals in Europe since the Tsar. Gyanendra in royal dress King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev of Nepal (born July 7, 1947) is the King of Nepal and (nominally) Supreme Commander In Chief of the Nepalese Army. ... Loktantra Andolan (Nepali for Democracy Movement) is a name given to the ongoing agitations against the rule of King Gyanendra of Nepal. ... His Serene Highness Hans-Adam II (Johannes Hans Adam Ferdinand Aloys Josef Maria Marko dAviano Pius), styled HSH The Sovereign Prince of Liechtenstein (born February 14, 1945), is the son of Franz Josef II of Liechtenstein (1906-1989) and his wife Gina von Wilczek (1921-1989). ... The word veto comes from Latin and literally means I forbid. ...

Many of the nations in the Middle East, such as Qatar and Kuwait, are said to be absolute monarchies, as their monarchs continue to hold great power under their respective constitutions. However, in these cases there are also parliaments and other bodies that advise and have the power to curtail the monarch. A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ... States currently utilizing parliamentary systems are denoted in orange and red—the former being constitutional monarchies where authority is vested in a parliament, and the latter being parliamentary republics whose parliaments are effectively supreme over a separate head of state. ...

Theories and History

The theory of absolute monarchy developed in the late Middle Ages from feudalism during which monarchs were still very much first among equals among the nobility. With the creation of centralized administrations and standing armies backed by expensive artillery, the power of the monarch gradually increased relative to the nobles, and from this was created the theory of absolute monarchy. Theory has a number of distinct meanings in different fields of knowledge, depending on the context and their methodologies. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... Roland pledges his fealty to Charlemagne; from a manuscript of a chanson de geste. ... The Lords and Barons prove their Nobility by hanging their Banners and exposing their Coats-of-arms at the door of the Lodge of the Heralds. ...

Divine Rights

Early Absolutists advocated the theory of Divine Right of Kings to justify their position. In the 16th century, monarchs took advantage of the clergy's weakness during the Reformation to impose their will. They declared to have the ability to decide the religion of their subjects. Henry VIII of England seized the property of the Catholic church while France claimed "Gallican liberties". These new monarchs claimed to be responsible solely to God. They attempted to eliminate or marginalize customs, institutions, and laws that held their predecessors in check. The Divine Right of Kings is a European political and religious doctrine of political absolutism. ... (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ... The Protestant Reformation was a movement which began in the 16th century as a series of attempts to reform the Roman Catholic Church, but ended in division and the establishment of new institutions, most importantly Lutheranism, Reformed churches, and Anabaptists. ... Henry VIII (28 June 1491 – 28 January 1547) was King of England and Lord of Ireland (later King of Ireland) from 22 April 1509 until his death. ...

Thomas Hobbes

Hobbes theorized that all the people should invest their power and rights in a "sovereign", in what was a seminal work of social contract theory, Leviathan. Without a sovereign, man lived in a state of nature which was governed by the passions of man, which manifested themselves in an all-against-all state of war; life in this state of nature was, for Hobbes, "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short". Through contract, each individual would give up his natural rights in order to be under the protection of the sovereign, who would secure the peace and defence of each individual. By surrendering one's rights to the sovereign, one gave up any right to rebel, and indeed, could not logically rebel, as the individual was a constituent part of the sovereign, and one's rights could not be separated from it. The sovereign, thus, by definition only acted in the interest of the subject. The contract could only be broken when the sovereign could no longer provide for the peace and defence of the subject; without its raison d'etre, the sovereign simply ceased to exist; man reverted to the state of nature until a new contract could be made. This article is about the philosopher Thomas Hobbes. ... Social contract theory (or contractarianism) is a concept used in philosophy, political science and sociology to denote an implicit agreement within a state regarding the rights and responsibilities of the state and its citizens, or more generally a similar concord between a group and its members, or between individuals. ... Frontispiece of Leviathan Leviathan was a book written in 1651 by Thomas Hobbes, is one of the most famous and influential books of political philosophy. ... State of nature is a term in political philosophy used in social contract theories to describe the hypothetical condition of humanity before the states foundation and its monopoly on the legitimate use of physical force. ...

While the "sovereign" is assumed to always be a monarch, it merely indicates an absolute government, which could take the form of a republic or even a democracy. Hobbes himself favoured a hereditary monarch for reasons of stability.

The leviathan state, and most importantly the absolute monarchy, would later be criticised by John Locke in the Two Treatises of Government. Locke's conception of the state of nature vastly differed from Hobbes, as did his conclusion on the rights of the governed. Despite these differences, both works were later viewed by some scholars (most notably C. B. Macpherson) as seminal examples of possessive individualism, with the function of the state being to provide a secure environment in which individuals can enjoy property rights. John Locke (August 29, 1632 – October 28, 1704) was an influential English philosopher. ... The Two Treatises of Government (or Two Treatises of Government: In the Former, The False Principles and Foundation of Sir Robert Filmer, And His Followers, are Detected and Overthrown. ... State of nature is a term in political philosophy used in social contract theories to describe the hypothetical condition of humanity before the states foundation and its monopoly on the legitimate use of physical force. ...

Enlightened Despotism

During the Enlightenment, the theory of absolute monarchy was supported by many French philosophers as a form of enlightened despotism. The philosophers argued that only an enlightened monarch can introduce progressive reforms to curtail feudalism and reactionary clergy. However, it must be pointed out that while Louis XV and Louis XVI were absolute monarchs in theory, they had to contend with many private interests, some of which opposed reforms, such as the great nobility and the parlements. Enlightened despotism was discredited with the fall of Napoleon. ... A philosopher is a person devoted to studying and producing results in philosophy. ... Enlightened absolutism (also known as enlightened despotism) is the absolutist rule of an enlightened monarch . ... Louis XV (February 15, 1710 – May 10, 1774), the Beloved (French: le Bien-Aimé), was King of France from 1715 until his death. ... Louis XVI (born August 23, 1754 in Versailles; died January 21, 1793 in Paris) was King of France and Navarre from 1774 until 1791, and then King of the French from 1791 to 1792. ... The Lords and Barons prove their Nobility by hanging their Banners and exposing their Coats-of-arms at the door of the Lodge of the Heralds. ... Parlements (pronounced in French) in ancien régime France — contrary to what their name would suggest to the modern reader — were not democratic or political institutions, but law courts . ... For other uses, see Napoleon (disambiguation). ...

The popularity of the notion of absolute monarchy declined substantially after the French Revolution and American Revolution, which promoted theories of government based on popular sovereignty. Liberty Leading the People, a painting by Delacroix commemorating the July Revolution of 1830 but which has come to be generally accepted as symbolic of French popular uprisings against the monarchy in general and the French Revolution in particular. ... The American Revolution was an upheaval that ended two centuries of rule by the British resulting ultimately in the formation of the United States of America. ... Popular sovereignty is the doctrine that the state is created by and subject to the will of the people, who are the source of all political power. ...

Historical Examples

One of the best-known historical examples of an absolute monarch was Louis XIV of France. His famous statement, L'état, c'est moi (I am the state), summarises the fundamental principle of absolute monarchy (sovereignty being vested in one individual). Although often criticised for his extravagance (his great legacy is the huge Palace of Versailles), he reigned over France for a long period, and some historians consider him a successful absolute monarch. Louis XIV King of France and Navarre By Hyacinthe Rigaud (1701) Louis XIV (Louis-Dieudonné) (September 5, 1638–September 1, 1715) reigned as King of France and King of Navarre from May 14, 1643 until his death. ... Versailles: Louis Le Vau opened up the interior court to create the expansive entrance cour dhonneur, later copied all over Europe Monument of Louis XIV in the cour dhonneur Gardens, general view from behind the palace The Château de Versailles —or simply Versailles— is a royal ch...

Until 1905, the Tsars of Russia also governed as absolute monarchs. Peter the Great reduced the power of the nobility and strengthened the central power of the Tsar, establishing a bureaucracy and a police state. This tradition of absolutism was built on by Catherine the Great and other later Tsars. Although Alexander II made some reforms and established an independent judicial system, Russia did not have a representative assembly or a constitution until the 1905 Revolution. Peter I Emperor and Autocrat of All Russia Peter I (Pyotr Alekseyvich) (9 June 1672–8 February 1725 [30 May 1672–28 January 1725 O.S.1]) ruled Russia from 7 May (27 April O.S.) 1682 until his death. ... The Lords and Barons prove their Nobility by hanging their Banners and exposing their Coats-of-arms at the door of the Lodge of the Heralds. ... Look up Tsar in Wiktionary, the free dictionary For the US community of Czar, see Czar, West Virginia. ... A police state is a political condition where the government maintains strict control over society, particularly through suspension of civil rights and often with the use of a force of secret police. ... Catherine II (Екатерина II Алексеевна: Yekaterína II Alekséyevna, April 21, 1729 - November 6, 1796), born Sophie Augusta Fredericka, known as Catherine the Great, reigned as empress of Russia from June 28, 1762, to her death on November 6, 1796. ... Alexander (Aleksandr) II Nikolaevitch (Russian: Александр II Николаевич) (born April 17, 1818 in Moscow; died March 13, 1881 in St. ... (Redirected from 1905 Revolution) The Russian Revolution of 1905 was a country-wide spasm of anti-government and undirected violence. ...

Throughout much of history, the Divine Right of Kings was the theological justification for absolute monarchy. Many European kings, such as the Tsars of Russia, claimed that they held supreme autocratic power by divine right, and that their subjects had no right to limit their power. James I and Charles I of England tried to import this principle into England; Charles I's attempts at establishing absolutist government along European lines was a major cause of the English Civil War. By the 19th century, the Divine Right was regarded as an obsolete theory in most countries, except in Russia where it was still given credence as the official justification for the Tsar's power. The Divine Right of Kings is a European political and religious doctrine of political absolutism. ... See James VI of Scotland and I of England James I of Scotland James I of Aragon James I of Sicily James I of Cyprus This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The name Charles I is used to refer to numerous persons in history: Kings: Charles I of England, Scotland, and Ireland Charles I of France (also known as Charles the Bald) Charles I of Spain (also known as Charles V of the German Empire) Charles I of Romania Charles I... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location (dark green) within the United Kingdom (light green), with the Republic of Ireland (blue) to its west Languages English Capital London Largest city London Area – Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population – Total (mid... The term English Civil War (or Wars) refers to the series of armed conflicts and political machinations which took place between Parliamentarians and Royalists from 1642 until 1651. ...

See also

• political absolutism
• absolute power
• constitutional monarchy
• Totalitarianism
• dictatorship
• fascism
• Thomas Hobbes
• Democracy