Day 2: Monarchy & Absolutism

Glossary / शब्दकोश

What is Monarchy?

Monarchy (राजतन्त्र) is one of the oldest forms of government in human history. It is a system where a single person — the monarch (king or queen) — holds supreme authority, and this power is typically inherited through bloodline rather than elected.

The word comes from Greek: mono (single) + arkhein (to rule) = rule by one person.

Types of Monarchy

1. Absolute Monarchy (निरङ्कुश राजतन्त्र)

The king has unlimited power. No parliament, no constitution limits him. His word is law. Historical examples: King Louis XIV of France ("I am the state"), and Nepal under the Rana Oligarchy and certain Shah kings.

2. Constitutional Monarchy (सांविधानिक राजतन्त्र)

The king's powers are limited by a constitution and elected parliament. The monarch is often a symbolic head of state. Examples: UK (King Charles III), Japan, Sweden, and Nepal from 1990–2001 under the 1990 Constitution.

3. Absolute Monarchy Disguised as Constitutional (Nepal's Panchayat Era)

King Mahendra created a system that appeared to have structure (पञ्चायत) but the king retained absolute control. Political parties were banned. This was called a partyless democracy — which is in reality just disguised monarchy.

Historical Origins

Monarchy arose naturally in ancient agricultural societies. When communities needed:

Defense — someone had to lead the army
Resource management — someone had to control land and water
Dispute resolution — someone had to judge conflicts Strong leaders emerged, and over generations, their families held onto power. Religion played a huge role — kings were often said to rule by divine right (ईश्वरीय अधिकार), meaning God had chosen them to rule.

In Nepal, the Shah kings were believed to be incarnations of Vishnu (विष्णु को अवतार) — this religious legitimacy kept them in power for 240 years.

Key Thinkers on Monarchy

Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679) — Argued in Leviathan that humans are naturally chaotic and brutal. A strong, absolute ruler is necessary to prevent "war of all against all." He justified absolute monarchy as essential for order.

Niccolò Machiavelli (1469–1527) — Wrote The Prince, advising rulers on how to gain and maintain power. Nepal's Rana rulers governed using Machiavellian principles.

Jean Bodin (1530–1596) — Developed the concept of sovereignty — one supreme authority must exist within a state. Used this to justify absolute monarchy.

John Locke (1632–1704) — Argued the OPPOSITE: rulers derive power from the consent of the governed, and people have the right to overthrow rulers who abuse power.

The Fall of Monarchies Worldwide

Nepal was one of the last countries in the world to abolish its monarchy — and unlike most countries, Nepal's was ended through a largely peaceful people's movement.

Nepal's Experience with Monarchy

Nepal had two distinct experiences with monarchy:

The Shah Dynasty (1768–2008) — Founded by Prithvi Narayan Shah who unified Nepal. This lasted 240 years.

The Rana Oligarchy within the Monarchy (1846–1951) — The Ranas effectively captured power while the Shah king remained as a figurehead. This was not true monarchy but a form of oligarchy (कुलीनतन्त्र) operating behind a royal facade.

Why Did People Accept Monarchy for So Long?

Religion — Kings were portrayed as divine. Opposing them was opposing God.
Stability — In times of chaos, a single strong ruler provided order.
Tradition — People were born into it; it was all they knew.
Lack of alternatives — Democratic ideas spread slowly; literacy was low.
Control of information — Monarchies often suppressed education and press freedom. In Nepal, the Rana regime specifically banned modern education for common people and kept Nepal in deliberate isolation to prevent ideas of freedom and democracy from entering.

Critical Thinking

राजा ईश्वरको अवतार हो — Raja Ishwarko Avataar Ho (The King is an incarnation of God)

This belief — dominant in Nepal for centuries — shows how deeply ideology is embedded in culture. When BP Koirala and others challenged the monarchy, they were challenging not just a political system but a culturally sacred institution.

Daily Quiz

Q1: Which concept describes the belief that a monarch is appointed by a higher power and accountable only to that power?

A) The Social Contract
B) Divine Right of Kings ✓
C) Constitutionalism
D) The Mandate of Heaven

Answer: B. As promoted by Bossuet, this doctrine asserts that kings are God's representatives on earth and their authority cannot be questioned by human institutions.

Q2: What primary characteristic distinguished 'Enlightened Absolutism' from traditional absolutism?

A) The complete abolition of serfdom
B) A transition to a fully democratic parliamentary system
C) The application of rationality and reform to strengthen the state ✓
D) The rejection of centralized power in favor of local noble rule

Answer: C. Enlightened monarchs embraced Enlightenment principles such as religious toleration and legal codification to improve efficiency.

Q3: How did Louis XIV and Peter the Great similarly address the power of the nobility?

A) Both granted nobles increased legislative authority
B) Both centralized authority by making nobles dependent on the monarch's service or court ✓
C) Both abolished the status of nobility
D) Both encouraged nobles to maintain independent armies

Answer: B. Louis XIV used Versailles to domesticate his nobles, while Peter the Great forced the boyars into military or civil service.

Q4: According to Jean Bodin, what is the nature of absolute power in a commonwealth?

A) Sovereignty is a temporary grant of power from the people
B) The sovereign must share legislative power with a representative assembly
C) The sovereign is absolute and indivisible, yet remains bound by natural and divine law ✓
D) Sovereignty gives the ruler the right to act with total arbitrariness

Answer: C. Bodin established that while the sovereign is the ultimate human authority, they are still subject to the higher laws of God and nature.

Q5: Which event illustrates the conflict between Catherine the Great's Enlightenment ideals and maintaining absolute power?

A) The successful implementation of the Nakaz law code
B) The suppression of the Pugachev Rebellion ✓
C) The invitation of Denis Diderot to the Russian court
D) The founding of the Smolny Institute

Answer: B. The violent serf uprising forced Catherine to abandon potential reforms to serfdom to maintain social order.

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Day 2 of 77 in the Political Science series