1. The Question of Authority
Absolutism vs. Constitutionalism

2. What is Legitimate Authority?
What makes you follow someone?
Because they are older, physically powerful, respect, love, fear….
Who do Canadians feel is/are the legimate leader(s) of our country?

3. Absolutism
The argument regarding legitimate authority centre on concepts of order, authority and rights
Later half of the 17th century- Divine Right, most elaborately formed in France

4. Divine Right of Kings
žMonarchs have been chosen to lead by the divine power of God, therefore their authority is absolute cannot be taken away (only applicable in a highly religious society...like all of Europe)
Classicalism- love of Greek and Roman stuff; the government structure of the ancients was...wait for it...Absolutism

5. Louis XIV- “The Sun King”

6. Absolutism Order and obedience, centralised authority
Remove nobles from their lands, replace them with hired intendents who are loyal to the king, and imprison the nobles somewhere where you can keep an eye on them (keep them happy, but powerless)
Everything is symbolic of the centralised power- “L’etat c’est moi”

8. Constitutionalism
Legitimacy lay with the institution of the constitution- laws govern that limit royal authority
Provide certain rights to subjects
Authority is distributed equally among a number of institutions
England and the Netherlands- customary limitation of royal power in the form of a parliament (could say no to royal requests)

10. Constitutionalism England and the Puritan Revolution-
Charles I wished to rule as an absolute, Catholic monarch
Infuriated the parliamentarians and the Calvinist Puritans (this is when the Mayflower sets sail for the New World and therefore the creation of the USA)
Scots rebel when Charles forces them to pray in the Catholic way (its probably important to know that the common language of English monarchs was always French)
Civil War breaks out between parliamentarians the Kings loyal followers

11. Constitutionalism
Parliamentarians eventually win- what to do with Charles (constitutional monarch or….)
King is executed and England becomes a republic led by Oliver Cromwell- religious tolerance, no state church
1660, Cromwell dies- new parliament rules to establish the monarchy with extreme limitations- Charles II

12. So which is better... Absolutism vs. Constitutionalism
Luckily this occured after the Renaissance and the reformation and the new Science- so let’s have a philosophical game-
Let’s pretend Humans are in a state of nature...

13. Thomas Hobbes •Born in England, 1588-1679.
•He experienced a troubled childhood
•His most important work, Leviathan was written in 1651 amongst the turmoil of the English civil wars, influencing his political theories (he took off and lived in France...absolutist, peaceful France)
•His ideas are shaped by the prominent thinkers of the time, partaking in ‘thought experiment’ to make his conclusions on human nature.
•Based on rational thought and the observations of humanity, Hobbes concluded that “the life of man solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.” His political theory is an extension of these beliefs and how humanity can best function under these conditions.

14. John Locke •Born in England, 1632-1704
•He is often referred to as the father of modern philosophy as his theories on the nature of matter and knowledge have influenced political thought in most of the English speaking world.
•He initiated the idea of the mind as a tabula rasa or blank slate, ready to receive sensations from the outside world. When the mind analyzes this data, we arrive at ideas.
In Two Treatises of Government (1690), Locke counters Hobbes’ beliefs and affirming that the state of nature is a peaceful and happy place. His political theories are based on humanity attempting to best maintain that state of nature

15. SO...
•Read the excerpts from Leviathan (pgs ) and Two Treatises of Government (pgs ) and answer the following questions:
1) Compare (what is similar) and contrast (what is different) between Locke and Hobbes, based on their ideas:
i) Concerning human nature (4)
ii) The relationship between the governing body and its people (4)
2) What is the fundamental idea that differentiates the two theories? (hint: Humans in a state of nature are…)(2)
3) Which of these men better suits or legitimizes the ruling style of the 16th and 17th centuries, according to what you know? Explain. (2)
4) Whose ideas have greater influenced Canada’s current system of government? Explain. (1)