Absolute Monarchy

• Roland Mousnier sees absolute monarchy as a result of the rivalry between bourgeoisie and nobility.
• The king supported the bourgeoisie and subdued the nobility to maintain balance and ensure personal power, unity, order, and hierarchy in the government and state.
• Perry Anderson argues that the absolute state was not an arbitrator between the aristocracy and bourgeoisie, but a reorganized and empowered feudal domination apparatus.
• The absolute state protected the property and privileges of the feudal aristocracy while favoring the basic interests of emerging mercantile and manufacturing classes.
• The absolute monarchy was a necessary political form for maintaining feudal domination and exploitation during the development of a market economy.
• Monarchical states in the Renaissance were modernized instruments for maintaining noble domination over rural masses.
• Anderson cites Althusser to support his argument.
• The absolute state kept the peasant masses in their traditional social position.
• The absolute state kept the emerging bourgeoisie outside the ruling classes.
• The absolute state was a paradoxical instrument for both protecting feudal interests and enabling capitalist development.

Test your knowledge of the concept of absolute monarchy with this quiz! Delve into the different perspectives and arguments surrounding the role of the monarchy in maintaining power and order in society, including the rivalry between the bourgeoisie and nobility, the protection of feudal interests, and the emergence of capitalism. This quiz will challenge you to think critically about the historical context and political implications of the absolute state.