Is Absolutism a Good Form of Government?

Imagine, it’s a beautiful day in Cuba in the year 1612. You’re monarch announced that you’d be going into war. You desire so heavily to stop it but nothing you say will make a difference for your voice is nonexistent. Absolutism is the most deteriorating form of government yet. It doesn’t open opportunity for multiple opinions and ideas, it typically is the cause or drives to war, and the massive amount of power the absolutists acquire gets to their head and causes deeper issues.

Louis XIV and Fidel Castro’s time as monarchs and president helps me display my opinion.

Being heard is a concept I’ve always found very important. We’re taught as we grow up to gain respect from others by voicing our thoughts and opinions. Absolutism demolishes that whole concept. Fidel became ruler of his colony and eventually turned it into the first communist state in the Western Hemisphere. Meaning he took complete control over decisions made in his state and gave nobody else any say in what happened.

Fidel got caught up in the power and his civilization began to crumble. Its crumbling was due to the overthrow of Batista and led to the Cuban revolution. Louis XIV did the same thing. He pulled power away from all and made the irrational decision to build Versailles a big castle in which he could watch over all his Huguenots. This was a complete monstrosity. He lost all of his money and it caused him a major decrease in warfare.

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War occurred far too much in history. I believe this was partially due to the rising of monarchies. Why unnecessary conflict over land, trade, and power lead to death is bewildering to me. Louis XIV is one who particularly portrays my opinion. He got into several wars and small battles in his conquest to expand France’s territory. Would consulting his peers and getting more opinions have helped avoid this? The answer is yes. His superiority took over and he constantly had the urge to be better. Which only leads to worse. A major war was the War of Devolution. This war was fought over who had possessions in the Spanish Netherlands, France, or Spain. Another war was the Nine Years War, fought over the Roman Empire. This war included France, Dutch Republic, Spain, England, and Savoy. Again, Louis felt the need to be superior to other countries and gain all the possession he could. This was difficult due to the little amount of money he still had acquired. Castros big war was the Cuban revolution. Fought over the Sierra Maestra. He fought Bautista’s forces this go around. Typical, a greedy guy with too much control always wanting more than others.

Power. What a meaningful word. Power was like a drug to people and civilizations in this period. More than it is now which is very hard to believe I know. Power drove absolutists crazy. It was the cause of irrational decision-making, intense money loss, and occasional land loss or land compromise. I mentioned before how “leaders” like Louis XIV and Fidel Castro got lost in the power they had but this spread all over as time progressed. Wars over absolutism changed some colonies’ views and made absolutists and supporters of it get even more positively opinionated about it. Absolutism eventually was spreading like wildfire! Concern for religion and other crucial details to a unified country was being put underneath power and trade and the biggest of them all, money! How to prevent this devastating form of government called absolutism is undefined. Although, the Protestant reformation eventually helped with this mess. The loss of voice in intelligent people, increase in war and death, and rulers going crazy over power are why I believe absolutism is a weak form of government and didn’t do much of anything to strengthen our nation.

Sources cited:

1. https://www.history.com/topics/france/louis-xiv
2. Editors, History.com. “Louis XIV.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 2 Dec. 2009, www.history.com/topics/france/louis-xiv.
3. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Fidel-Castro
4. Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Fidtrosel Castro.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 20 Dec. 2018, www.britannica.com/biography/Fidel-Castro.
5. http://www.thenagain.info/WebChron/WestEurope/Fronde.html
6. “War of the Fronde.” Then Again, www.thenagain.info/WebChron/WestEurope/Fronde.html.
7. “Fidel Castro’s 8 Finest Achievements.” THE STATESMAN, 30 Apr. 2018, statesmanonline.org/2016/11/28/fidel-Cas-8-finest-achievements
8. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/louis_xiv.shtml
9. “History – Historic Figures: Louis XIV (1638-1715).” BBC, BBC, www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/louis_xiv.shtml.
10. https://www.history.com/topics/france/louis-xivEditors, History.com. “Louis XIV.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 2 Dec. 2009, www.history.com/topics/france/louis-xiv.