Advanced Placement (AP) World History Practice Exam 2025 - Free AP World History Practice Questions and Study Guide

Absolutism refers to a form of government in which the ruler holds absolute power, acting without any legal checks or balances from other branches of government. In this system, the monarch or ruler has the authority to make laws, levy taxes, administer justice, control the state's administrative system, and determine foreign affairs without consulting any other governance structures or bodies. This often led to centralized control and a lack of political pluralism, as the ruler's decisions went unchallenged. Prominent historical examples include the reigns of Louis XIV in France and Peter the Great in Russia, where monarchs exercised extensive power and authority over their states and subjects.

In contrast, the other options describe forms of governance that include limitations on power or involve participatory elements, which are antithetical to the principle of absolutism. Therefore, the characterization of absolutism as a rule by an absolute dictator accurately captures the essence of this political concept.