Absolutism is defined as a political system in which a single monarch, usually a king or
queen, holds complete and unrestrained power over a country. The reign of the French
King Louis XIV has long been considered the best example of absolutism. King Louis
XIV became king at the age of 23. As seen in his famous statement, ”L’Etat, c'est moi (I
am the State).” He was fully convinced that he knew what the people needed. He
immediately made it clear that he intended to make all major decisions on his own,
telling his ministers of state, “I order you not to sign anything, not even a passport.”
Louis restructured the French government and gave himself decision-making power
over all matters of the state. He outlawed anything resembling a parliament or other
representative assemblies, forbade anyone from publicly disagreeing with any of his
policies or decisions, and completely curtailed any opposition. Louis retained the right
to make foreign policy, declare war, oversee religious affairs, and levy taxes. Since
Louis was Catholic, he closed down all Protestant schools and banned them from
political meetings.
He required the attendance of the nobility at his court so he could keep a close eye on
them. His ministers and secretaries could only offer the king advice but had no power to
make policy decisions on their own. King Louis XIV ruled his kingdom through a chain of
command. At the top of the government structure we’re such departments as War,
Finance, State, and so on. Under these departments were the provisional
administrators, who were responsible for large administrative units. The chain went
down to the local official of the village or town. One might ask why Louis said in power
though he ruled with such tyranny. Well, an absolute monarch is able to stay in power
for as long as the people allow it, either through desire, intimidation, or outright fear and
oppression
Though France was a model for other European kings, queens, counts, and dukes. This
system of absolutism came with some drawbacks. One of them being that local nobility
and religious officials lost their power to the king. King’s power could be used arbitrarily.
King made bad decisions, no one could challenge him, and the nation would suffer.
King had to keep the loyalty of the nobles and provide them with rewards and threats.
King Louis XIV was no different. Louis XIV aimed to have religious uniformity in his
kingdom. Initially he offered the Huguenots financial incentives to convert, but this had
limited effect. By the late 1670s he decided upon a harsher policy. He began to order
the destruction of Huguenot churches and the closure of Huguenot schools. He then
revoked the Edict of Nantes, which was an agreement of toleration between the
Huguenots and the French government. He was persuaded that most Huguenots were
eager to become Catholics. He followed his revocation of the Edict by actively
persecuting the Huguenots. Most of the Huguenots were the middle class, or
bourgeoisie, and were France’s merchants, tradesmen, an farmers. They contributed
greatly to the French prosperity. When Louis XIV’s France became too oppressive for
them, the vast majority fled to England, Holland, and Prussia taking their skills and
wealth with them and greatly reducing France’s economic stability and assets. This
exodus of the Huguenot bourgeoisie seriously weakened the position of France among
the other European nations and greatly aided England.
