I.
Absolutism
A.
Definition
= sovereignty embodied in person of one ruler (aka. “autocracy”)
B.
Two
headaches of autocrats: nobles (who want local power) and money (and how to
collect taxes from the people)
C.
Bureaucracies
were made to collect taxes. The money was used to build an army.
D.
Absolutism
vs. totalitarianism = absolutism was not all-embracing since it lacked the
money, military, and technology to do so.
E.
Classics
of absolutism
1.
Louis
XIV’s remark, “L’etat, c’est moi!”
Meaning “I am the state!”
2.
Absolutism
glorified the state over everything.
3.
Absolutism
was expansionist by nature, always going to war.
II.
Absolute
France
A.
Henry IV – Background…War
of the 3 Henry’s, the religious wars in France, St. Bartholomew Day Massacre,
Henry IV converted to Catholicism and allowed Protestants in France, this calmed the situation.
1.
His
initial problems as king though…poor harvests, famine from war, rogue soldiers,
general disorder.
2.
Henry
IV earnestly cared about his people. He appointed Sully as chief minister.
a.
Sully
lowers taxes on peasants.
b.
Started
the paulette,
and annual fee by royal bureaucrats to keep their jobs.
B.
Sully
1.
Started
indirect taxes on items. The number of items taxed went down, but the revenue
generated went up.
2.
Beefed
up foreign trade.
3.
Built
a highway system. All of these things are good for the national economy.
1.
He
was appointed to the council of ministers by the Queen after Henry IV’s death.
2.
His
goal was to cut down any noble threat. So…
a.
He
destroyed castles, spied out conspiracies.
b.
To
replace nobles, Richelieu put royal intendants in local districts. There were 32 intendants in this bureaucracy. They answered to the king,
raised the army, taxed, judged, kept an eye on the
nobility.
c.
The
bottom line – these things made the king stronger in the countryside and the
nobles weaker.
3.
Edict of Nantes – (remember, it
allowed Huguenots to practice their faith) Under Richelieu, the Edict was
interpreted as being only temporary, a time-out from Catholic-Protestant
troubles. Richelieu said the goal all along was to return to complete
Catholicism in France. (This foreshadows the revocation of the Edict by Louis
XIV a bit later.)
4.
A
wave of urban protests began.
a.
Why?
Fear. Fear of unemployment, high food prices, grain shortages, taxes, oppression,
generally anything bad.
b.
The
king decided to let them “burn themselves out,” then march in. This
Machiavellian plan worked.
5.
Foreign
policy under Richelieu held the main goal of combating the Habsburgs on both
sides of France.
a.
Richelieu
supported Habsburg enemies in the 30 Years War, the German princes.
b.
Richelieu
acquired the Alsace region, between France and Germany
6.
Literature
– French was standardized.
7.
In
terms of money, Richelieu allowed the local elite to share in taxation of
peasants. This shows both the headache and reliance on the nobility.
1.
Mazarin
was administrator for boy-king Louis XIV.
2.
He
tried to increase royal revenues and sparked the Fronde. The Fronde
was a series of civil wars (basically, it was war of the classes over
taxation).
3.
The
effects of the Fronde…
a.
The
king must compromise with local elites.
b.
The
economy was still a mess.
c.
Louis
XIV hated the nobles.
A.
His
beliefs were very Catholic and very much divine right monarch (God had made him
king). He was molded from childhood by Mazarin to be a calculating ruler. Ie. He would often answer questions with, “Je verrai,”
meaning, “We shall see.”
B.
Palace
at Versailles – held the goals of being a palace, but also to showcase France
to foreign nations.
C.
Louis
XIV used Versailles to court the nobles. Since he needed them to tax, he
dazzled their attentions with Versailles.
D.
Colbert – he was a
“finance guy”
1.
He
was a big believer in mercantilism. So,…
2.
He
focused on the balance of trade. He tried to make France self-sufficient. It
was okay to sell things, but never to buy anything from a foreign nation.
3.
He
emphasized government subsidies, guilds, building roads and canals, the
merchant marine.
4.
Canada
was encouraged. Quebec was settled as a colony to support France. Marquette,
Joliet, and LaSalle venture into Louisiana.
5.
However,
many peasants emigrate from France due to ceaseless taxes. This cut the tax
base of France.