Class notes on Absolutism in France and England.

Absolutism: autocracy, or rule by a single person. This person was not to be questioned or disobeyed; this became known as "absolutism," since the monarch ruled w/ "absolute" power, that is, unshared power. Began in England France and England Absolutism: The English had been under the combined rule of both the king and the assembly for so long that they weren't ready to give all the power of government to a single person. The merchants …

…feudal lords fought against the King, while the public supported a strong head of government to keep the peace. *In England, a majority of the people supported the Parliament, which had representatives from the middle & low classes, as well as the nobles, & served as a check to the King's power. *Had the political institutions of France & England been similar, either a system of parliament or absolutism would have succeeded in both nations.