The Rise of Absolutism as a Model for Government at the End of the Thirty Years’ War, Essay Example

Absolute monarchies can be viewed as a response to fractures in political power that led to state instability. That is to say, that the radical concentration of power that is implied in absolute monarchies aimed to subvert the contrasting diffusion of power, whereby a lack of a clear centre of authority contributed to the erosion of the governmental mechanisms. The rise of numerous global powers and the ongoing colonialism made it necessary “for kingdoms (to have) powerful rulers with armies and navies at the ready.” (332) However, political concerns were not the only precondition for absolute monarchy: advancements in technology made such a concentration of power more effective, and thus should be viewed as contributing to absolute monarchy.

For example, the change in weaponry gave an opportunity to centralize power. Technological advances in the form of the appearance of firearms changed the face of warfare: these created imbalances of power, since the success of these weapons against traditional forms of armament, such as bows and arrows, was apparent. The production of these weapons required capital, as well as an efficient production system, ideal for the monarch who already possessed wealth in society. Furthermore, these weapons were then used exclusively by the monarch, helping to contribute to the consolidation of absolute power.

Furthermore, the advancements in naval technology increased transportation possibilities. However, the maintenance of great ships required heavy amounts of capital to finance them. The absolute monarch was once again the source of such capital, and therefore could maintain effective fleets of ships in his power.

Accordingly, the rise of absolute monarchism can be traced to the interrelation of two main factors. Firstly, there existed a necessity to avoid political turmoil and respond to growing geopolitical threats. However, secondly, these growing geopolitical threats were made possible by growths in technology that allowed nations to more effectively challenge their rivals. In this situation, the concentration of power in an absolute monarch was the only efficient form of government possible.