All over the world from 1450-1750, absolutist Empires began centralizing their authority over its populace. Divine
right authority (God-granted) coupled with strong militaries extending empires, control over lucrative trade
(either overland or maritime) and the centralization of power over one individual who exercised this power with
legislation (law making), dispelling any political enemies and the building of monumental architecture to glorify
their power and insure their legacy. At roughly the same time in Europe, a new bourgeoisie power rich from new
trading policies (mercantilism, banking, joint stock companies and guilds) would challenge the power of the
Absolutists and come up with ideas to allow more people to participate in government ( beginnings of more
democratic ideas a period called the enlightenment). Thomas Hobbes supported Absolutism identifying a noble
obligation (nobles oblige) to take care of the populace while John Locke argued that government should rest w
ABSOLUTISM: EAT IT
1. KING LOUIS XIV (BOURBON) OF FRANCE UTILIZED WEALTH FROM NORTH AMERICAN
MERCANTILISM TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE OF PALACE AND BUILD
ONE OF THE MOST LAVISH PALACES IN VERSAILLES.
J. THE SPENDING ON LAVISH LIFESTYLE BOTH JUSTIFIED HIS AUTHORITY AS THE “SUN-KING” YET WOULD
SERVE AS A REMINDER ABOUT THE TREMENDOUS DISPARITIES BETWEEN THE RICH AND THE POOR
WHICH WOULD. ULTIMATELY LEAD TO THE FRENCH REVOLUTION.
2. PETER ROMANOV OF RUSSIA CENTRALIZED HIS AUTHORITY AND WRESTLED AWAY
POWER FROM THE EASTERN ORTHODOX CHURCH AND ESTABLISHED A POLICY OF
“WESTERNIZATION” ESTABLISHING THE WARM-WATER PORT OF ST. PETERSBURG AND
CREATING RUSSIA’S FIRST GREAT NAVY
I. PETER WOULD LEARN FROM ENGLISH AND DUTCH SHIP BUILDERS HOW TO
DEVELOP A FORMIDABLE MILITARY AND BECOME A COMPETITIVE EMPIRE
AFTER CENTURIES OF ISOLATION AND MAKE RUSSIA AN EMPIRE TO BE
RECKONED WITH WHILE DOING AWAY WITH OLD SUPERSTITIOUS IDEAS
WHICH HINDERED PROGRESS
3. TOKUGAWA IEAYSU DECIDED TO CENTRALIZE JAPAN’S POWER IN
THE PORT OF EDO AND ISOLATE JAPAN PREVENTING JAPANESE FROM
LEAVING AND FOREIGNERS FROM ENTERING EXCEPT THE DUTCH
WHICH WAS LIMITED TO THE PORT OF NAGASAKI JUST ONCE A YEAR
H. JAPAN’S HISTORICAL ISOLATION DURING THE AGE OF
EXPLORATION, ENLIGHTENMENT AND SCIENCE GAVE IT A DISTINCT
DISADVANTAGE IN THE TECHNOLOGY FIELD WHEN THEIR
LIMITATIONS WOULD BE TESTED BY AMERICAN ADMIRAL PERRY IN
1857
4. ENGLAND AFTER YEARS OF CIVIL WAR AND STRUGGLE BETWEEN
PARLIAMENT (EST. BY MAGNA CARTA) AND THE MONARCHY HAD A
GLORIOUS REVOLUTION WHICH WOULD INSTALL THE FIRST BILL OF
RIGHTS ILLUSTRATING SPECIFIC FREEDOMS FOR ENGLISH CITIZENS.
G. THE ENGLISH BILL OF RIGHTS, INFLUENCED BY ENLIGHTENED
THINKERS, CONTINUED ENGLAND’S TRADITION OF CODIFYING
RIGHTS AND INCLUDED FREEDOMS OF SPEECH, NO TAXATION
WITHOUT REPRESENTATION, FREEDOM TO PETITION, AND FAIR
TRIALS TO INSURE LITTLE ABUSE OF POWER
5.SPAIN’S PHILLIP II (HAPSBURG) FIGHTING A SERIES OF COSTLY WARS
OF RELIGION INCLUDING THE WAR OF SPANISH SUCCESSION (IN THE
NETHERLANDS) AND THE 30 YEARS’ WAR ( A BLOODY WAR OF THE
PROTESTANT REFORMATION
COSTLY WARS DRAINED THE ROYAL TREASURY OF ALL THE GOLD
AND SILVER PROCURED THROUGH MERCANTILISM AND LED TO
FINANCIAL HARDSHIPS, DEBT AND THE NEED TO INCREASE
CRIPPLING TAXES
6. ENGLAND AND THE NETHERLANDS FORMING CONSTITUTIONS TO
PLACE LIMIT ON THE MONARCHS, PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO THE
CITIZENRY AND ALLOW PRIVATE OWNERSHIP IN BUSINESSES (JOINT
STOCK COMPANIES) AND LAND
E. LIMITS ON ABSOLUTE POWER HELPED THE ENGLISH AND DUTCH
PREVENT AGAINST CORRUPTION AND CHANGE GOVERNMENT
POLICIES OF INTOLERANCE AND BRING ABOUT DEMOCRATIC
CHANGES TO ENABLE MORE PEOPLE TO MAKE DECISIONS AND LIMIT
THE POWER OF THE MONARCHY THROUGH SOME CHECKS AND
BALANCES (LIKE MONTESQUIEU WROTE ON)
7. IVAN THE GREAT (RUSSIA) USING THE COSSACKS (FREED SERFS) TO
EXTEND HIS EMPIRE FURTHER EAST AND TAKE IT FROM INDIGENOUS
SIBERIANS USING BLOODY WARFARE (GUNPOWDER TECHNOLOGY).
D.AFTER THROWING OFF THE TYRANNY OF THE GOLDEN HORDE
(MONGOLS) IVAN CONSOLIDATED HIS AUTHORITY IN MOSCOW AND
STARTED A CAMPAIGN OF GAINING NEW TERRITORIES IN THE EAST
WHERE LANDS COULD BE USED FOR AGRICULTURE AND THE
LUCRATIVE FUR TRADE
8. ROYAL PATRONAGE OF SOCIETIES TO ADVANCE RESEARCH
AND DEVELOPMENT IN SCIENTIFIC IDEAS OF ISAAC NEWTON,
WILLIAM HARVEY AND ROBERT HOOKE
C. ROYAL SOCIETIES BEGAN TO DEVELOP IN COFFEEHOUSES AND
UNIVERSITIES LIKE OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE TO FACILITATE
KNOWLEDGE IN SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS TO APPLY TO THE
NEWEST COMPETITIVE TECHNOLOGIES WHERE SCIENCE AND
RELIGION COULD COMPROMISE IN THE NEW DEIST IDEAS.
9.THE USE OF NAVY BY THE HAPSBURG CHARLES V TO UTILIZE
COLONIES IN THE AMERICAS FOR LAND, LABOR AND CAPITAL
(MERCANTILISM
B. A STRONG NAVY UTILIZING CARAVEL TECHNOLOGY WITH SIDE
MOUNTED CANNONS MADE THE SPANISH ARMADA ONE OF THE
MOST FEARED UNTIL THE ENGLISH QUEEN’S NAVY GREW MORE
POWERFUL
10.THE ASSURANCE BY CONSTITUTIONS IN ENGLAND TO
PROVIDE FREEDOMS OF RELIGION, SPEECH , PRESS AND TRIAL
BY JURY
A.THE PRINCIPLES OF BASIC FREEDOMS ( SPOKE ABOUT BY VOLTAIRE
AND ROUSSEAU) ALLOWED AN INFORMED CITIZENRY TO SPEAK OUT
AGAINST TYRANNY AND INJUSTICE AND OVERTHROW IT IF IT IS NOT
DERIVED FROM THE CONSENT OF THE GOVERNED (LIKE JOHN LOCKE
SPOKE OF)