| a monarchy that is not limited or restrained by laws or a constitution. |
| Main Entry: | absolute monarchy |
| Part of Speech: | n |
| Definition: | a government determined solely by the ruler; also called despotic monarchy |
| Example: | Unions are demanding reform of Africa's last absolute monarchy. |
| Usage: | politics |
Rule by one person — a monarch, usually a king or a queen — whose actions are restricted neither by written law nor by custom; a system different from a constitutional monarchy and from a republic. Absolute monarchy persisted in France until 1789 and in Russia until 1917.