Why is absolutism important

Learn more about the Declaration of the Rights of Man. Richelieu, however, instituted a new kind of royal official, called the intendant. It was not going to be an office that could be sold. Intendants would be appointed by the king; they would be paid salaries by the king; they would do what the king required. The creation of this position was a huge step toward exercising more royal control over the country.

These intendants acted as the chief royal agents in most local areas and districts, holding an important number of jobs. Among the many, tax collecting, of course, is central to absolutism. The intendants increased the collection of taxes tremendously, but they did so without actually collecting taxes themselves. Then, the intendant would guarantee the tax farmer the right to go out and collect taxes in a local area, so that the tax farmer could pay himself back for all of the money he had advanced to the king and also make a profit on this business.

The way the intendant guaranteed the collection of taxes was by using the royal army. And we are going to make sure you are paid back for that. Learn more about how revolutionaries sought to reform the church but divided the country. But the intendant had other jobs, as well. Because of their efficient exercise of state authority, intendants were hated by peasants and nobles alike, both of whom revolted periodically from the s through the s in hopes of stopping the expansion of royal power.

Despite the unrest, Richelieu had done his job very efficiently. French absolutism was about to reach its climax. French Absolutism was a style of monarchy where the monarch had absolute power based on divine right. In other words, God gave the monarch the right to rule however and whenever from anywhere.

Absolutism was flourishing across Europe in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. It was essentially a major power grab but had roots in philosophy, as many contemporary philosophies supported it as well. There was the additional worry that there would be a civil war, with the government and the estates, in the event of a change of King; therefore, if the King was the only head of state it would simply transfer and keep the country intact, theoretically.

He also held a tight grip on the country and was highly successful in organizing a functioning state. Hunger and revolt ended absolutism as the French Revolution sent a stark message to the ruling class about the needs of the underclass. By Andrew C. Nobles had regained a great deal of power, peasants were in revolt, and there was a need for a political rebuilding of monarchies. Learn more about how French absolutism crafts a king as a virtual god on Earth Defining Absolutism First of all, how do you define absolutism?

Five Steps for Building an Absolute Monarchy To build an absolute monarchy, there are essentially five major steps that a king will want to undertake successfully. Moral absolutism in this second sense is often held as opposed to consequentialism. Consequentialism is a theory according to which actions are right just in case they promote overall value in comparison with other alternatives.

The upshot of this account is that no particular action or action-type could be absolutely wrong. For example, torturing a small child may produce more value or less disvalue than the killing of an entire nation.

Therefore, for a consequentialist, torturing a small child in order to save a country is permissible, if indeed not positively required.

By contrast, moral absolutism holds that some actions are absolutely wrong; they could never be right no matter what consequences of failing to do them might be. So, an absolutist would say that it is morally wrong to torture a child in order to save an entire nation. Absolutism says that some actions are wrong whatever the consequences. Or again, moral absolutism about lying would say that the lying is always wrong, whatever the consequences. Consequentialism is sometimes construed as one type of absolutist moral theory: for instance, it is absolutely wrong not to act in such a way that promotes overall value.

Which actions or types of action are traditionally regarded as absolutely wrong? Historically, philosphers have been absolutists with regarded to many types of actions such as lying, adutery, and sodomy. However, in a contemporary setting, torture and executing the innocent are two of the actions most commonly held to be absolute prohibitions. And these are also the most plausible sort of cases.

This resolution says that no matter what the expected consequences of torture may be—for example, preventing New York City from being bombed by terrorists—torture is impermissible. It would be morally wrong to torture a terrorist in order to find out where a bomb was being hidden, even if the consequences of not doing so would be quite catastophic. Given its emphasis on moral principles, and opposition to consequentialism, it may seem unclear how absolutism differs from deontology.

The answer is that absolutism is a species of deontology. Absolutism endorses two claims: 1 some actions are intrinsically right or wrong; 2 the consequences of an action of this sort e. I think that President Monroe did a very good job with his address, because it captured the feeling of national pride that was thriving at that time. When Roosevelt became president in , he changed the world rapidly in many ways. Through his personality and determination, he had an extremely popular relationship with the people, and wanted to make the society more fair and equal between them.

He generally believed that the government had the responsibility to take care of businesses in order for things to not negatively affect the people, showing how he wanted to help the country and the people in it.

Roosevelt has always seemed like he was prepared for everything in office with his incredible leadership skills and his energy, even though the first time he became president was because another president had been killed. Laws were as important in Hammurabi 's time as they are today because laws keep people safe and keeps everything fair.

Hammurabi was a famous Babylonian king who ruled over Mesopotamia. He created the first set of written laws in his 38th year of his reign called the law code. He did this because he wanted to keep peace and order over Mesopotamia even if the laws were harsh. Many people are arguing over if Hammurabi 's code is just or unjust.

Many other emperors were great at being warriors or having a great army but Charlemagne was different. Him being different made him. The founding fathers were smart men who the world looked up to because of their smart decisions, actions, that directed the U. The founding fathers were great men who led this country to victory in war and on the political front.

And often early U. George Washington our first president had problems figuring out ways to control the new nation as it progressed under his leadership. The role that King Louis XIV plays in Tartuffe, although not a character himself, affects the whole outcome of the play.

King Louis XIV was an absolute monarch and was responsible for restoring order in society. After demonstrations took place in Muscat, the Sultan announced a plan to reconstruct the constitutional system of Oman towards a constitutional monarchy monarchical constitutions.

Whoever is to be chosen from amongst those descendants must be a Muslim, mature, rational, and the legitimate son of Omani Muslim parents. According to Article 6 , the Royal Family Council shall, within three days of the throne falling vacant, determine the successor to the throne.

Furthermore, the Sultan is described by the article as the symbol of national unity as well as its guardian and defender. Article 42 lists the functions of the Sultan which include the preservation of the independence of Oman and its territorial integrity, the protection of the international and external security of Oman, and the safeguarding of the rights and freedoms of citizens.

The Sultan is also in charge of ensuring the rule of law, directing the general policy of the state, representing Oman internally and in international relations, the establishment and regulation of the administrative, and the appointment and removal of state officials. Other important functions include the declaration of a state of emergency types and effects of emergency , general mobilization, war and concluding peace declaration of war , the promulgation and ratification of laws, the signing of international conventions and treaties treaty power , the appointment of political representatives to other states and international organizations and relieving them of their office, accepting the credentials of representatives of other states and international organizations, pardoning pardon power or commuting any penalty, and conferring order of honour and military ranks.

This council consist of two sub-councils: the State Council and the Shura Council. The members of the State Council and its Chairman are appointed by virtue of a royal decree. The State Council is composed of mostly former high-ranking officials or other people with influence in the Omani society. The Shura Council is appointed differently. It was created to broaden public participation in governmental affairs.

The Shura Council consists of elected members. However, the ultimate influence of the monarch is secured by his power to dissolve the Shura Council in circumstances he determines and to call for a new election within four months from the date of the dissolution. The competences of the Council of Oman are of a merely advisory nature. According to Article 59 , the dignity of the judiciary and the integrity and impartiality of the judges are a guarantee for rights and freedoms, and according to Article 60 the judiciary shall be independent independence of the judiciary.

Article 61 establishes that there shall be no power over judges except for the law and they shall be irremovable expect in circumstances specified by the law. The role of the Sultan concerning the judiciary is limited to the appointment of senior judges and relieving them of their office Art. Originally based in present-day Saudi Arabia, the tribe moved to Qatar in the s and settled in Doha in the 19th century. The House of Thani established its rule over Qatar during the 19th century when its leaders opposed first Bahraini and later Ottoman rule over the Qatari Peninsula.

The House of Thani stayed in power during this time as it did after the independence of the country in This development reaches as far back as In that year, and thus prior to national independence, a provisional system of governance was enacted Provisional Constitution of Qatar: Qatar and revised in to address new requirements.

The Amended Provisional Constitution of already incorporated elements for the future constitutional development of Qatar. In , monarch Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani announced the formation of a drafting committee for the development of a permanent constitution. On 29 April , a referendum was held in which Perhaps the most astonishing provision of the constitutional text is Article 1 where it is stated that the political system of the Emirate is democratic.

Moreover, Article 59 specifies that the people are the source of power. According to Article 8 , the rule of the state is hereditary in the family of Al Thani and in the line of the male descendants of Hamad bin Kahlifa bin Hamad bin Abdulla bin Jassim, who ruled Qatar from until The rule shall be inherited by the son named as Heir Apparent by the Emir. If there is no son, the rule shall pass to the member of the family named by the Emir as Heir Apparent.

In this case, the male descendants of the named person shall inherit the rule. The Emir shall, according to Article 9 , appoint the Heir Apparent by Emiri order after consultation with the members of the ruling family and people of wisdom in the state.

The legislative authority, according to Article 61 , is held by the Al-Shoura Council. According to Article 62 , the executive is held by the Emir and according to Article 63 , the judicial authority is held by the courts.

This provision also declares his person to be inviolable and establishes the obligation that the monarch must be respected by all. He is assisted by the Council of Minsters Art.

Furthermore, according to Article 65 , the Emir is the Commander-in-Chief. The Emir represents Qatar internally and in international relations Art. According to Article 67 , other functions of the Emir include the drawing up of the general policy of the state with the assistance of the Council of Ministers, the ratification and promulgation of laws, the summoning of the Council of Ministers, the appointment of civil servants and military personnel and terminating their service, the accreditation of diplomatic and consular missions, the granting of pardon, the commuting of penalties, and the conferment of civilian and military orders and badges of honour.

Further functions of the Emir include the declaration of a defensive war Art. According to Article 69 , the Emir may declare martial law in the event of exceptional circumstance martial law. The Emir shall appoint the Prime Minister, accept his resignation, and remove him from office by an Emiri order Art. Concerning the cabinet , the Emir shall appoint the other ministers by Emiri order upon nomination by the Prime Minister, and he shall also accept resignations of Ministers and relieve them from office in a like manner.

While all those powers of the Emir are strong, Article 75 provides for popular participation in the decision-making process. According to this provision, the Emir shall seek public opinion by referendum on issues of importance to the state. The provision also provides that the Heir Apparent shall preside over the sessions of the Council of Ministers whenever he is attending it; thereby providing a constitutional basis for the Heir Apparent to gain some expertise in governmental affairs prior to taking the throne.

According to Article 13 , in cases where it is not possible to delegate powers to the Heir Apparent, the Emir may by Emiri order, designate a deputy from the ruling family to discharge some of his powers and functions. This council shall, according to Article 15 , determine the vacancy of the position of the Emir in the event of his demise or when he becomes totally incapable of discharging his functions.

Following this, the Council of Ministers and the Al-Shoura Council shall, after a secret session announce the vacancy and declare the Heir Apparent as Emir of the State.

Where the Heir Apparent, at the time he is named Emir of the State, is less than 18 years of age according to the Gregorian calendar, the powers of government shall be conferred, according to Article 16 , upon a Regency Council to be appointed by the Council of the Ruling Family.

The Regency Council shall be composed of a Chairman and not less than three or more than five members; the Chairman and the majority of members of the Regency Council shall be from amongst the royal family. It is here, especially, where constitutional demands and constitutional realities of the political system of Qatar are diverging. According to Article 76 , the Al-Shoura Council shall assume the legislative authority, approve the general policy of the government and the budget, and it shall exercise control over the executive authority.

The Council shall, according to Article 77 , consist of forty-five members; thirty of whom shall be elected by direct, general secret ballot and the Emir shall appoint the remaining fifteen members from amongst the Ministers or any other persons.

Even though the Council only fulfils consultative tasks, the election of its members would mean a real democratic element in the political system of Qatar. However, the current Al-Shoura Council is not composed of forty-five members, but of thirty-five only, all of which are appointed. Moreover, no election had taken place yet, as required by the constitution.

Since the new constitution entered into force, an election was announced several times, but the tenure of the Al-Shoura Council has always been extended by the Emir, for the last time in June The election is now scheduled for May Besides all this, the ultimate power of the Emir in legislative affairs can be found in Article 67 2 where it is stated that no law may be issued unless it is ratified by the monarch.