The abuse and misuse of power by absolute monarchs inexorably led to the rise of modern democracy.

The concept of modern democracy was without doubt, born from the abuse and misuse of power by absolute monarchs. An absolute monarchy is when the monarch holds absolute power over the people. This was the form of government for most European states, including Britain, France, Spain and many others. They ruled by the Divine Right of Kings and claimed they were given the power to rule by God, making anyone who opposed them be defying God 1. In 1610, King James I proclaimed that `Kings have power of …life and death; (they are) judges over all their subjects and in all causes and yet accountable to none but God.``, showing his belief in his absolute power2. In such a form of government, all power is in the hands of one person. That individual is not limited in their actions by any party and also controls all competing groups and the law. If the individual is unsuitable for wielding power and has poor judgement, there are devastating results and the people of the nation suffer from the consequences. Throughout the course of history, monarchs have repeatedly refused to rule with the consent of others, made poor decisions and were a symbol of corruption. In these situations, people realize they want to rule for themselves, instead of having their fate in the hands of someone who did not have their best interests in mind, thus leading to the rise of modern democracy.
The French revolution, a result of the abuse of power by the incapable and wasteful Bourbon monarchs, led to the formation of the First Republic of France. Louis XIV once said `L`etat cèst moi`, meaning ``I am the state``; implying his total power over the people 3. During his reign, Louis XIV created a centralized government by weakening the power of the nobles, excluding them from his councils4. Louis XIV spent millions on the building of the Palace of Versailles and costly foreign wars, such as the War of the Spanish Succession and the War of the Grand Alliance, bringing France on the verge of bankruptcy5. As a result, he was forced to raise taxes on the middle class, leading to their anger and dissatisfaction. He eventually moved to the Palace of Versailles with the nobility, leaving them unaware of ongoing events in Paris. Louis XVI’s support of the colonists in the American Revolution and his involvement in Queen Anne’s war, coupled with the extravagant spending of his predecessors, only worsened the financial condition of France3. By 1763, the national debt of France amounted to nearly 2 billion livres6. The court at Versailles continued to spend lavishly despite the financial burdens on the people. Marie Antoinette, the wife of Louis XVI was famously quoted saying, ``let them eat cake`` and became known as the symbol of corruption by the French people. Following Louis’ refusal to cooperate with the National Assembly, rioters in Paris stormed the Bastille and marched to the Palace of Versailles to arrest the king and queen. The absolute monarchy of France was overthrown and the First French Republic was established, marking the declining power of monarchs and laying the foundations for democracy in France. The revolution resulted in the establishment of a legislative assembly, the publication of the Declaration of Man and of the Citizen and the signing of the constitution3.