THE EVOLUTION OF THE MONARCHY
ABSOLUTE MONARCHY
“Sovereign power lies only in my person, and its character is the spirit of counsel, justice and
reason; it is to me that my courtiers owe their existence and authority which they exercise in
my name only (…); legislative power belongs only to me without dependence and without
division; it is with my authority that the officials of my Court proceed not to inform but to
register, publish and enforce the law; public order emanates from me and the rights and
interests of the nation (…) are united necessarily to mine and rest only in my hands”
Speech by Louis XV to the Parliament of Paris on March, 3, 1766
ENLIGHTENED DESPOTISM
“I would like for a prince to have no other thought save that of making his people happy. A
happy people are more afraid of losing their prince, who at the same time is their benefactor,
than the sovereign himself may fear regarding the decline of his power…
There is but one good, that of the state in general. The sovereign represents the state; he
and his people form but one body. … The prince is for the society that he governs that which
the head is for the body: he must see, think, act for the whole community, in order to secure
all the benefits it is entitled to achieve”
Frederick II of Prussia
� EXERCISE:
1- Read the above texts and explain the political ideas that each of them defends.
2- Look for information on their authors and summarize it in a maximum of five lines.
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