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Absolute power


            "Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely.
             Absolute power always becomes corrupt. "Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely." Lord Acton. The quote accurately describes how absolute power always becomes corrupt. One example is of Phillip II of Spain. He was the son and heir of Charles V and wanted to put a strict conformity to Catholicism. Phillip II strengthened his control of lands such as the Spanish Netherlands and at the beginning of the seventeenth century, Spain had the most populous empire in the world. It controlled almost all of South America and a number of settlements in Asia and Africa. However, as the quote says, the reality was different for Phillip II. His treasury was empty because of his passion for creating big armies and he spent a great deal on war. .
             Absolute power always becomes corrupt. An example of this is of Lois XIV and his reign of absolutism in France from 1661 to 1715. In the beginning, he made himself the absolute ruler and got rid of all the very high nobles and princes form the royal council. Also, he kept them out of politics by enticing them in entertainment at the Court of Versailles. Furthermore, he gained complete authority of the central policy-making machinery of government. But with that power his reign became corrupt. By bribing all the aristocrats and royal nobles and princes he was the only ruler of France and that was where the trouble began. He did not know how to manage his finances and he spent way too much on his court and his love for war. The increase in royal power that Louis pursued led the king to make war a constant activity of his reign. In the end, however, Louis XIV had many neighboring enemies and because of his overspending he left a great debt in the government.
             Absolute power always becomes corrupt. Another example of how this is true is of Peter the Great and his rule of absolutism in Russia.


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