Definition

A type of government where one person or group has complete control and makes all the decisions without sharing power.

Example

The country was under absolutism, with the king making all the decisions without any input from the people.

Conversation

Have you ever studied absolutism in history class?

Yeah, it was really interesting to see how much power one ruler could have.

I found it surprising that some people supported that kind of government.

Definitely! It makes you think about how different things could be today.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Absolutism is formed from "absolutus" (from Latin, meaning free or unrestrained) and the suffix "-ism" (meaning a practice or philosophy). The term refers to a political doctrine where a single ruler holds absolute power, free from any limitations or constraints.

Memory Tip

Think of 'free' or 'unrestrained' ('absolutus') to remember that 'absolutism' means a system where a ruler has complete and unrestricted power.

Visually Confused Words