Louis XIV was an absolute monarch in France

Louis XIV was an absolute monarch in France. And Peter the Great was an absolute monarch in Russia. But absolute monarchy did not develop in England.

In England, the power of the king was limited.

In England, a constitutional monarchy developed. A constitutional monarchy is a political system in which political power is shared between the king and Parliament.

In 1215, English nobles forced King John to sign the Magna Carta.

The Magna Carta was a document that guaranteed that an Englishman could not be fined or imprisoned except according to the laws of the land. As such, the law became more powerful than the king.

In addition, in England, a parliament was established. Parliament is a legislative body. Parliament limited the power of the king.

In England, Parliament is made up of nobles in the House of Lords and elected representatives in the House of Commons.

Parliament claimed the right to approve taxes. In other words, the power of the purse rested in the hands of Parliament.

In addition, the British fought two revolutions, the Puritan Revolution and the Glorious Revolution, to establish the supremacy of Parliament over the king.

The Bill of Rights of 1869 confirmed that English monarchs could not collect new taxes or raise an army without Parliament’s consent.

John Locke was a British philosopher. He published a book on government. He believed that people had rights.

He did not believe in a ruler’s absolute power. Locke believed that people were born with the right to life, property, and liberty.

Locke believed that the government had a responsibility to protect these rights! He did not believe in absolutism.

Compare and Contrast: Absolute Monarchy: Constitutional Monarchy: