Features of absolutism. The features of enlightened absolutism. Formation of absolutism in Russia

For a long time a discussion has been held about the conditions and time for the emergence of an absolute monarchy in the West, its relation to social classes, in particular the bourgeoisie, the various stages of its development, the similarities and differences between the Russian autocracy and Western absolutism, and its historical significance.

Absolutism (from the Latin word "absolutus" - "unlimited", "independent"), or absolute monarchy - the last form of the feudal state that arose in the period of the emergence of capitalism and the disintegration of feudal relations.

The following are the features of absolutism. The head of state is considered the main source of legislative and executive power (the latter is carried out by the apparatus subordinate to it). The monarch disposes of the state treasury, establishes taxes.

Other main features of the policy of absolutism are the greatest degree of centralization of the state under conditions of feudalism, a developed bureaucratic apparatus (tax, judicial, etc.). The latter also includes the police and a large active army. A characteristic feature of absolutism is the following: the activity of representative bodies inherent in the estate monarchy under its conditions loses its significance and ceases.

Absolute monarchs, in opposition to feudal landowners, considered their service as the main nobility. However, in order to ensure independence from this class as a whole, they did not neglect the support of the newly emerging bourgeoisie, which did not claim power, but was economically strong and capable of opposing its own interests to the interests of the feudal lords.

The Importance of Absolutism

The role of absolutism in history is not easy to assess. At a certain stage, the kings began to fight the separatism of the feudal nobility, destroyed the remnants of the former political fragmentation, subordinated the church to the state, promoted the development of capitalist relations and the country's unity in the economic sphere, the process of the formation of national states and nations. The policy of mercantilism was implemented, trade wars were fought, a new class was supported-the bourgeoisie.

However, according to some researchers, absolutism operated for the benefit of the bourgeoisie only as long as it was in the interests of the nobility, which received from the economic development of the state income in the form of taxes (feudal rent), greatly increased, as well as from the revival of economic life as a whole . But the increase in resources and economic opportunities was mainly used to strengthen the military power of countries. This was necessary to suppress the large-scale popular movements that arose at that time , as well as for external military expansion.

Features of absolutism in France

Characteristic for most European countries (with various modifications), the features of absolutism were most vividly embodied in France. Here in the late XV - early XVI centuries. The first elements of this form of state appeared. In the time of Richelieu (between 1624 and 1642), who was the first minister of King Louis XIII, and especially Louis XIV (1643-1715), the absolute monarchy reached its peak. King Louis XIV expressed the essence of this form of government by the following simple definition: "The state is me!".

Absolutism in other countries

Specific features of absolutism in England (in its classical period, that is, during the reign of Elizabeth Tudor, 1558-1603) - the preservation of the current parliament, the lack of a standing army and the weakness of the bureaucracy in the field.

In Spain, where elements of bourgeois relations were not able to develop in the 16th century, the basic features of the policy of enlightened absolutism gradually degenerated into despotism.

In Germany, which was at that time fragmented, it was not formed on the scale of the state, but within specific territories of different principalities (princely absolutism).

The main features of enlightened absolutism, characteristic of some European countries in the second half of the 18th century, are discussed below. This form of government as a whole was not homogeneous. The features and features of absolutism in Europe depended to a large extent on the correlation of the forces of the bourgeoisie and the nobility, and on the degree to which bourgeois elements affected the policy. Thus, in Russia, the Austrian monarchy, Germany, the position of the bourgeois elements was significantly lower than in France and England.

Absolutism in our country

The formation of absolutism in Russia was very interesting. Some researchers believe that the 1993 Constitution approved the president with powers that can be compared to the power of an absolute monarch, and call the established form of government a democratic autocracy. Name the main features of absolutism, and you will see that such thoughts are not unfounded. Although, perhaps, there is some exaggeration.

Russian absolutism did not arise on such a social basis as in Western Europe. Since at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries (when the signs of absolute monarchy were finally consolidated), bourgeois relations in Russia were undeveloped, there was no balance between the nobility and the bourgeoisie.

The formation of absolutism in Russia began largely thanks to the foreign policy factor, and therefore only one nobility was the support. This is an important feature of absolutism in our country. The external danger, constantly hanging over Russia, demanded the presence of a strong centralized power and the rapid adoption of important decisions. However, at the same time, there was a restrictive trend. The boyars (land aristocracy), possessing strong economic positions, tried to exert their influence on the adoption of certain political decisions, and also to participate in the process as much as possible.

It is necessary to note one more feature of absolutism in Russia. The country's veche traditions (that is, people's power) continued to operate in the country, the roots of which can be found even in the time of the existence of the Novgorod Republic and the Old Russian state. They found their expression in the activity of the Zemsky Sobor (from 1549 to 1653).

The period from the second half of the 16th to the first half of the 17th century was marked by the struggle of these two tendencies existing in our country. For a long time the result of this confrontation was unclear, since the victory was alternately won by one side, then another. Under Tsar Ivan the Terrible, as well as during the reign of Boris Godunov, it would seem that it was won by the absolutist tendency, according to which the maximum power prerogatives were in the hands of the monarch. But in the times of the Troubles and reign of Mikhail Romanov (1613-1645 gg.), The restrictive tendency prevailed, the influence of the Zemsky Sobor and the Boyar Duma intensified, without whose support Mikhail Romanov did not issue a single law.

Serfdom and absolutism

The establishment of serfdom, which finally took shape in 1649, was a turning point, thanks to which the absolutist trend won. After it was finally legally fixed, the nobility turned out to be wholly dependent on the central authority, which the monarch represented. She alone was able to ensure the rule of the nobles over the peasants, to keep them in obedience.

But in exchange for this the nobility had to give up claims for personal participation in the administration of the state and recognized itself as a servant of the monarch. Such was the payment for services from the authorities. The nobles received constant income and power over the peasants in exchange for renouncing claims in public administration. Therefore, it is not surprising that almost immediately after the legalization of serfdom, the convocation of the Zemsky Sobors ceased. In full, the last of them took place in 1653.

Thus, the choice was made, and for the economic interests of the nobility sacrificed political. The absolutist tendency won. The registration of serfdom led to another important consequence: since there were no conditions for development (for example, the free labor market disappeared), the formation of bourgeois relations was sharply stalled. For a long time the bourgeoisie in the country therefore did not form a separate social class, and consequently, the social support of absolutism could only be of the nobility.

Attitude to law and law in Russia

Another vivid feature of the absolute monarchy in the state was the attitude to law and law. The choice in the ratio of non-legal and legal means was made unequivocally in favor of the former. The personal arbitrariness of the monarch and his close associates became the main method of control. It began with the reign of Ivan the Terrible, and in the 17th century, after the final transition to absolute monarchy, little has changed.

You can, of course, argue that there was a body of laws - the Cathedral Code. However, in practice, the monarch (Peter I, Alexei Mikhailovich and others) and senior state officials did not follow the laws in their actions, did not consider themselves bound by them.

The main method of governing the country is military force and coercive coercion. One can not deny the fact that during the reign of Peter I, quite a number of laws were adopted that dealt with almost all spheres of government (Table of Ranks, Military Articula, Collegium Regulations, General Regulations). But they were intended, however, exclusively for the subjects, the sovereign himself did not consider himself bound by these laws. In fact, the practice of making decisions under this tsar did not differ much from that under the reign of Ivan the Terrible. The monarch's will was the only source of power.

Attitude to law and law in other countries

It can not be said that in this Russia was so different from Western countries (name the features of absolutism, and you will be convinced of this). Louis XIV in France (he is considered a classic absolute monarch) also used voluntarism and arbitrariness.

But in spite of all the contradictions, absolutism in Western Europe nevertheless took the path of active involvement of legal means in regulating various social relations. Between the law and personal arbitrariness, the ratio in favor of the former gradually began to shift. This was facilitated by a number of factors, the most important of which was the realization by the kings that it is much easier to rule the country, when as far as possible spheres are regulated by legal norms.

In addition, the use of voluntarism in the administration of the state implies the monarch's high personal qualities: intellectual level, energy, willpower, and determination. However, most of the rulers of that time did not much resemble Peter I, Frederick II or Louis XIV. That is, they could not successfully apply personal arbitrariness in the governance of the country.

Following the path of increasing application of the law as the main tool for governing the state, the absolutism of Western Europe entered the path of a protracted crisis, and then completely ceased to exist. After all, in essence, he presupposed the sovereign power of the sovereign unlimitedly legal, and the application of legal means of government led to the emergence of the idea (which was formulated by the Enlightenment figures) about the supremacy of law and law, and not the will of the tsar.

Enlightened absolutism

The features of enlightened absolutism in our country were embodied in the policy of Catherine II. In many European countries in the second half of the 18th century, the idea of an "alliance of sovereigns and philosophers", expressed by French philosophers-enlighteners, is becoming popular. At this time, abstract categories are transferred to the sphere of concrete politics. Supposed to rule the "sage on the throne," the benefactor of the nation, the patron of the arts. In the role of enlightened monarchs were the Prussian King Frederick II and the Swedish Gustav III, the Austrian Emperor Joseph II, and the Russian Empress Catherine II.

The main features of enlightened absolutism

The main signs of enlightened absolutism in the policies of these rulers were expressed in the implementation of reforms in the spirit of various ideas of the Enlightenment. The head of state, the monarch, must be able to transform public life in a new, reasonable manner.

The main features of enlightened absolutism in different states were common. In the period under review, reforms were carried out that did not affect the foundations of the existing feudal-absolutist system, it was a time when governments liberally flirted with writers and philosophers. The bourgeois revolution in France destroyed this form of the state and the features of French absolutism, put an end to it throughout Europe.

The hard way of absolute monarchy

The fate of absolutism was different. Since the main task of this form of state is to preserve the existing foundations of the feudal system, it inevitably lost the progressive features of absolutism and hampered the development of capitalist relations.

During the first bourgeois revolutions of the 17th and 18th centuries, absolute monarchy was swept away in France and England. In countries with a slower capitalist development, a feudal-absolutist transformation into a bourgeois-landowner monarchy was observed. The semi-absolutist system in Germany, for example, existed until the November bourgeois-democratic revolution of 1918. Absolutism in Russia was ended by the February Revolution of 1917