Absolutism and Democracy Essay Example
Absolutism and Democracy Essay Example

Absolutism and Democracy Essay Example

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  • Pages: 4 (862 words)
  • Published: December 26, 2016
  • Type: Essay
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The most effective form of government in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries is Absolutism. Absolutism was the most effective form of government according to King James I of England in 1609, King Louis XIV of France in 1660, and Machiavelli the prince in 1513. King James I believed absolutism was the best form of government because the King deserves divine power over the kingdom or empire. King Louis XIV believed that absolutism was the most effective because he believed the more you offer the people the more they take it for granted.

Machiavelli believes that a king should rule this way because regular men are deceitful and fickle. Absolutism was the better form of government in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. In the seventeenth to the eighteenth century was the middle of The Enlightenment

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. The Enlightenment was a period of time that included a number of writers living at different times in various countries. Its early exponents, known as the philosophes, became popular in the seventeenth century. The Encyclopedia was published in 1751 under the leadership of Denis Diderot and Jean le Rond d’Alembert.

The Encyclopedia was completed in 1772. Most of the eastern Europe was in monarchies, but wanted to get out. The most effective form of government according to Machiavelli, the prince in 1513, is absolutism. Machiavelli believed that absolutism was the most effective form of government because a democracy would have all men controlling. Machiavelli sates in document 1 that “Men are ungrateful, fickle, and deceitful, eager to avoid dangers and avid for gain, and while you are useful to them they are all with you, but as

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soon as danger approaches, they turn on you. Machiavelli is saying that most men are afraid and with fear you forget your responsibilities, and since most men were afraid of the consequences of voting they would theoretically run away.

Machiavelli also says “ Men have less hesitation in offending a man who is loved than one who is feared, for love is held by a bond of obligation which, as men are wicked, is broken whenever personal advantage suggests it, but fear is accompanied by the dread of punishment, which never relaxes. ” Machiavelli is saying that when a man is loved he feels he has more bligations, but one who is fears is accompanied by punishment and when you know you will get punishment for something you never relax or calm down. The most effective government is absolutism because one man who is directly from the line of God has better habits then those who are not. The most effective form of government in the seventeenth to eighteenth century was Absolutism according to King James I of England in 1609 stated in document 2. According to King James I, Absolutism was the best because kings came directly from God to earth.

King James I believed in divine power, “the power to create or destroy, make or unmake at God’s pleasure, to give life or send death, to judge all, and to be judged nor accountable to none; to raise low things, and make high things low at His pleasure. . . and the like power kings have. ” Stated in document 2. King James I believed a king was exactly like God,

himself and he says in document 2 “. . . for kings are not only God’s lieutenants upon earth, and sit upon God’s throne, but even by God himself they are called gods. This proves Absolutism is the best form of government because people believed that the kings are a direct line from God, so they listened to one king rather than voting for everything themselves.

If you gave people the power to vote not only would chaos arise, but the people would vote for everything in favor of them. King Louis XIV of France in 1660 believes that absolutism was the most effective form of government in the seventeenth and eighteenth century stated in document 3. According to King Louis XIV Absolutism was the best form of government because in document 3 he says “. . The more you grant . . . [to the assembled people], the more it claims. . . The interest of the State must come first. ” King Louis XIV is saying the more freedom you offer to the people the more the people are going to start asking for. King Louis also believes that the head alone has the right to deliberate and decide, and give the jobs to other members who only do the job that is assigned to them in document 3. “The head alone has the right to deliberate, and decide and the functions of all the other members consist only in carrying out the commands given to them.

This proves that Absolutism is the most effective because the head of the kingdom is only allowed to make the decisions and the functions

of the other members are also decided by the head of the kingdom. In Conclusion absolutism is the most effective form of government because, regular men are fickle, deceitful and ungrateful according to Prince Machiavelli in 1513, Divine power according to King James I and the head should have the right to decide everything according to King Louis XIV. Absolutism is the most effective form of government in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.

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