1. The Age of Crisis

2. Cumulative effects of:
Religious wars
Climate change involving poor weather
Resulting shorter growing seasons, crop failures and famines
High taxes
Internal rebellion
Witchcraft accusations

3. In times of crisis, people willingly sacrifice rights in the interests of security and order
Such was the case for advocates of absolutism in the early 17th century
Divine Right of Kings: kings derive their power from God directly and rule on earth on his behalf

4. Absolutism
A political system and theory of government in which the king (or queen) is all-powerful and possesses a monopoly on the use of force and the administration of justice

5. General Characteristics of Absolutism
The King (or Queen) has an orderly and efficient bureaucracy where all power and directives flow downward from the monarch
The King (or Queen) has a large standing army with which to enforce his (or her) will

6. General Characteristics of Absolutism
The power of any other groups or traditional institutions is suppressed, especially the power of the nobility as a class
Absolute government is costly and usually required heavy taxation for support

7. General Characteristics of Absolutism
Absolute government was justified by the theory of “divine right” monarchy in which the King (or Queen) was said to be God’s anointed on the earth
Absolute government depends heavily for its success on strong personality traits in the King (or Queen) as a personal symbol of the state/country