Absolutism (Noun)
Meaning 1
The principle of complete and unrestricted power in government.
Classification
Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Related Words
Meaning 2
The doctrine of an absolute being.
Classification
Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents.
Examples
- The philosopher's absolutism posited a single, unchanging deity that created and governed the universe through a rigid set of laws.
- In this worldview, absolutism took the form of a single, all-powerful deity that guided human affairs with an iron fist.
- Absolutism, in this sense, rejects the idea of multiple deities or pantheons, instead affirming the existence of one all-encompassing, absolute being.
- The absolutism of the monotheistic faiths has often been criticized for promoting a rigid, unyielding view of morality and ethics.
- Critics of this form of absolutism argue that it stifles human creativity and free will, reducing individuals to mere pawns in a larger divine plan.
Hypernyms
Meaning 3
Dominance through threat of punishment and violence.
Classification
Nouns denoting natural processes.
Examples
- The dictator's absolutism was enforced through a network of secret police and informants who reported any dissent to the authorities.
- The government's absolutism was evident in its response to the protests, with riot police and tear gas deployed to quell the demonstrations.
- Throughout history, absolutism has been used to justify the subjugation of marginalized groups, with those in power using violence and intimidation to maintain their dominance.
- The company's absolutism was reflected in its strict hierarchical structure, with employees who questioned management's decisions facing disciplinary action.
- The authoritarian regime's absolutism was rooted in its ideology, which emphasized the need for a strong central authority to maintain order and stability through any means necessary.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Related Words
Meaning 4
A form of government in which the ruler is an absolute dictator (not restricted by a constitution or laws or opposition etc.).
Classification
Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects.
Examples
- The monarch's absolutism was marked by a complete disregard for the rights and freedoms of his subjects.
- The country's transition from absolutism to democracy was a long and difficult process.
- Critics argued that the president's actions were a threat to the country's democratic institutions and a return to absolutism.
- The absolute ruler's power was unchecked, and his absolutism was characterized by brutal suppression of dissent.
- Historians have long debated the role of absolutism in the development of modern nation-states.
Synonyms
- Authoritarianism
- Totalitarianism
- Caesarism
- Shogunate
- Monocracy
- Despotism
- One-man Rule
- Stalinism
- Dictatorship
- Tyranny