Absolutism vs.
Constitutionalism

Compare two rival systems of governance that shaped early modern Europe: the concentration of power in a single ruler versus the legal limitation of government authority.

AP European History

What Is Absolutism?

Absolutism is a political system in which a single ruler holds supreme, unchecked authority over the state. The monarch's word is law, and no parliament, court, or constitution can override royal decrees.

Centralized Power

All legislative, judicial, and military authority flows from the throne.

No Consent Needed

Taxation, war, and law do not require approval from representative bodies.

What Is Constitutionalism?

Constitutionalism is a system in which government authority is defined and limited by a body of law or custom. Power is shared among institutions, and rulers must govern according to established legal principles.

Shared Power

Authority is divided among a monarch, parliament, courts, or other bodies.

Rule of Law

Even the sovereign is subject to legal constraints and must respect individual rights.

Why This Comparison Matters

The tension between absolutism and constitutionalism is one of the defining themes of early modern Europe (c. 1648-1815). Understanding how these two models competed helps explain revolutions, wars, and the foundations of modern democracy.

1

AP Exam skill: The comparison skill requires you to identify similarities and differences across political systems.

2

Causation: Understanding why one state chose absolutism while another chose constitutionalism reveals deeper economic, religious, and social forces.

3

Continuity and change: These debates echo forward into the Enlightenment, the French Revolution, and the rise of modern democracies.

Two Models of Governance

Key Case Studies

France

Louis XIV: "L'etat, c'est moi." Versailles centralized all power, bypassed the Estates-General, and used intendants to control the provinces.

England

The English Civil War, Glorious Revolution (1688), and English Bill of Rights (1689) established parliamentary sovereignty.

Dutch Republic

A federal republic governed by the States-General with elected stadtholders: decentralized, commercial, and tolerant.

Key Distinction: Source of Sovereignty

Absolutism

Sovereignty resides in the monarch. The king or queen is the embodiment of the state. Divine right theory holds that God grants authority directly to the ruler, making resistance a sin.

Constitutionalism

Sovereignty resides in law or the people. Social contract theory (Locke, Hobbes in part) holds that legitimate authority comes from the consent of the governed, exercised through representative institutions.

Timeline: Key Events

1648

Peace of Westphalia

Ended the Thirty Years' War; recognized state sovereignty

1649

Execution of Charles I

English Parliament tried and executed the king: a constitutional crisis

1661

Louis XIV's Personal Rule Begins

Declared himself his own prime minister; height of French absolutism

1688

Glorious Revolution

William and Mary accepted the English Bill of Rights; parliamentary sovereignty confirmed

1689

English Bill of Rights

Codified limits on royal power: no taxation without Parliament, free elections, and right to petition

1715

Death of Louis XIV

End of an era; France's absolutist model faced growing critique

How to Write an AP Comparison

1

Identify the category of comparison. Choose a clear analytical lens: political structure, economic policy, religious policy, or social hierarchy.

2

State a similarity. Find a genuine parallel between the two systems. Example: both absolutism and constitutionalism sought to maintain social order after the Wars of Religion.

3

State a difference. Identify a meaningful contrast. Example: absolutist France taxed without consent; constitutional England required parliamentary approval.

4

Provide specific evidence. Name dates, people, laws, or events that support each claim.

5

Explain significance. Why does this similarity or difference matter? Connect to broader themes: state-building, Enlightenment ideas, or revolution.

Example 1: Political Structure

Category: How was political power organized?

France under Louis XIV

Louis never convened the Estates-General. He appointed intendants (royal agents) to oversee provinces, replacing local aristocratic authority with direct royal control.

England after 1689

Parliament met regularly and controlled taxation. The monarch could not suspend laws or maintain a standing army without parliamentary consent.

Example 2: Economic Policy

Category: How did each state manage its economy?

French Mercantilism

Jean-Baptiste Colbert imposed tariffs, built state-run manufactures, and regulated trade to enrich the crown. Taxation was arbitrary and fell heaviest on peasants.

English Commerce

Parliament passed the Navigation Acts to control colonial trade but also protected property rights. Taxation required parliamentary consent, encouraging investment and credit.

Example 3: Religious Policy

Category: How did each state handle religious diversity?

Revocation of the Edict of Nantes (1685)

Louis XIV expelled Huguenots, destroying religious tolerance to impose Catholic uniformity as a tool of absolutist control.

English Toleration Act (1689)

Granted limited freedom of worship to Protestant dissenters (but not Catholics). Reflected Parliament's power to define religious policy, not the crown's alone.

Comparing Absolutist States

Not all absolutist states looked alike. The AP exam may ask you to compare within a category, not just between categories.

	France	Russia	Prussia
Key Ruler	Louis XIV	Peter the Great	Frederick William I
Military Focus	Expansionist wars	Modernized navy and army	Standing army first priority
Nobility	Tamed at Versailles	Forced into state service	Junker class served as officers
Serfdom	Declining	Strengthened	Maintained

Common Mistakes on the AP Exam

✕ Treating Absolutism as Tyranny

Absolute monarchs claimed legal authority, not lawlessness. They used bureaucracy, law codes, and ceremony to legitimize rule: very different from arbitrary despotism.

✕ Ignoring Similarities

Students often list only differences. Strong AP essays also note similarities: both systems centralized the state, expanded the military, and used mercantilism.

✕ Forgetting Specifics

Vague statements like "England had more freedom" earn no points. Use names, dates, and documents: the English Bill of Rights (1689), the Edict of Fontainebleau (1685).

Summary Comparison Table

Category	Absolutism	Constitutionalism
Sovereignty	Resides in the monarch	Resides in law / the people
Legitimacy	Divine right	Social contract / consent
Legislature	Rarely or never convened	Regular sessions; controls taxation
Taxation	Imposed by royal decree	Requires parliamentary consent
Religion	Enforced uniformity	Negotiated toleration
Key Examples	France, Russia, Prussia	England, Dutch Republic
Key Thinkers	Bossuet, Bodin	Locke, Montesquieu

Question 1 of 5

Which of the following best describes the primary theoretical justification for absolute monarchy in early modern France?

Bishop Bossuet argued that kings received their authority directly from God, making their power sacred, paternal, and absolute. Locke's social contract theory was used to justify constitutionalism, not absolutism.

Question 2 of 5

A similarity between absolutist France and constitutional England in the late 17th century was that both:

Both France (under Colbert) and England (through the Navigation Acts) embraced mercantilism: state-directed trade policies designed to accumulate wealth and strengthen national power. Neither granted full religious freedom, and France never convened its legislature during Louis XIV's reign.

Question 3 of 5

Speaker A: "The royal authority is absolute. The prince need render account of his acts to no one. Without this absolute authority the king could neither do good nor repress evil. His power must be invincible."

Speaker B: "The legislative power is that which has a right to direct how the force of the commonwealth shall be employed for preserving the community. When the legislators endeavor to destroy the property of the people, they put themselves into a state of war with the people."

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The two speakers above most directly represent the debate between:

Speaker A paraphrases Bossuet's defense of absolute royal authority (divine right). Speaker B paraphrases Locke's argument that legislative power derives from the people and can be revoked if abused: the core of constitutionalism.

Question 4 of 5

Louis XIV's construction of the Palace of Versailles most directly served to:

Versailles was a tool of absolutist control. By requiring the nobility to spend long periods at court, Louis kept potential rivals under surveillance, dependent on royal favor, and distracted by elaborate ceremony: weakening their independent power base in the provinces.

Question 5 of 5

Which of the following is the most accurate difference between France and England regarding taxation in the late 17th century?

In absolutist France, the king could impose taxes (such as the taille) without consulting the Estates-General, which was not convened from 1614 to 1789. In constitutional England, the English Bill of Rights (1689) explicitly required parliamentary consent for taxation: a cornerstone of constitutional governance.

Absolutism vs.Constitutionalism

What Is Absolutism?

What Is Constitutionalism?

Why This Comparison Matters

Two Models of Governance

Key Case Studies

Key Distinction: Source of Sovereignty

Timeline: Key Events

How to Write an AP Comparison

Example 1: Political Structure

Example 2: Economic Policy

Example 3: Religious Policy

Comparing Absolutist States

Common Mistakes on the AP Exam

Summary Comparison Table

Question 1 of 5

Question 2 of 5

Question 3 of 5

Question 4 of 5

Question 5 of 5

Absolutism vs.
Constitutionalism