Abstract
The paper discusses how the central metamorphosis of John Nolan in Steinbeck's "In Dubious Battle" revolves around a politically absolutist and violent point of view that he develops within the labor strike. The paper explains that although Nolan began as a lowly union member, his family history had helped to influence him to become involved in militant revolt and violence as a course of action against the landowners.

Tags:steinbeck, battle, labor

Abstract
This paper explains the concept of absolutism and gives examples of absolutist monarchs. The paper also provides an explanation of King Louis XIV's impact on absolutism and describes the results of this kind of reign of power.

From the Paper
"Throughout history, political absolutism has been something many countries have faced. According to Wikipedia, "absolutism is a political theory which argues that one person should have all power". Rather than dispersing duties to noble representatives of the country, the ruler had complete control over everything. The control included the power to demand laws, make justice, collect taxes, keep a permanent army, submit employees, judge attempts against public goods, and the authority to determine exceptions to whom and when the laws applied (National States). The monarch could enforce and abolish rules just as a small child would when making up their own game."

Tags:monarch, sole, power, ordained, god, disobey, king, justify, enlightened, authority

Abstract
This paper compares the fate of the absolutist regimes of Russia, China and France.

Abstract
This paper examines the absolutist political ideology of the labor leader, Jim Nolan, in John Steinbeck's novel, "In Dubious Battle". The paper looks at how at the beginning of the strike, Nolan portrays a leader that rests on stern and unyielding principles to overtake and destroy the tyranny of labor domination by landowners. The paper then points out that this unyielding and uncompromising political view, however, results in the failure of the strike and the death of Nolan. The paper then suggests that Jim Nolan represents a metamorphism of an absolutist political ideology that is unrealistic and eventually ends with the failure of the strike within Steinbeck's novel.

From the Paper
"The first stage of Jim Nolan's desire to overthrow the cruel and greedy landowners that force him and other to work for brutally low wages is based of his hatred of tyrannical authority. The novel describes the way that Nolan and others had to live in poverty and destitution, which then acts as a catalyst for Nolan's absolutist desire to overthrow the landowners. Steinbeck (1992) relates the foundation for a labor rights when Nolan is questioned about his motives for joining the Union league Club."

Tags:poverty, greed, labor, rights, strike

Abstract
This paper attempts to show how little the development of Royal Absolutism, so firmly established under the reign of Louis XIV, had progressed nearly a century later in Prussia under the rule of Frederick the Great. The paper argues that that the 'institution' of absolutism displayed remarkable threads of continuity under both rulers in terms of the objectives and functions of absolutist rule and that in reality the only distinct difference between Absolutism and Enlightened Absolutism was the premise from which both men justified their reign. The paper further argues, however, that being a product of his time Frederick was undoubtedly influenced and guided by the reason and logic of the Enlightened philosophers. Nevertheless, the paper demonstrates that the inherent nature of absolutism remained unaltered and that Louis XIV did as much to shape the political practice of Enlightened Absolutism, as did the writings of the French philosophers.

From the Paper
"As a corollary to military expansion and their foreign policies, both absolute monarchs adopted mercantilist manipulations of economic life with a view that this economic form of planning would ensure the power of the state. Mercantilists were fundamentally concerned with acquiring gold and silver and in the reign of Louis XIV, his economic minister Colbert saw a favorable balance of trade as essential to increasing the supply of bullion and designed policies to achieve this."

Tags:centralization bureaucratization, military expansion, mercantilist secularization

Abstract
This paper explains that Plato sets the standard for what was to be considered as 'justice' in his representation of the way a government should be obeyed and the concept of virtue in the manner to which an individual reacts within the boundaries of justice; however, the circumstances by which Socrates makes his point seems counteractive to the premise of his arguments. The author points out that the paradox of truth, the inability to find truth when the truth is not known, allows Socrates to demonstrate in practical terms what epistemology means; the theory of recollection is his answer to the paradox of truth. The paper concludes that Socrates believes (and seeks to prove in ?The Meno?) that true virtue is a matter of rational principles, and these cannot be merely relative, any more than mathematics can be relative, but his argument is out of place and disjointed.

From the Paper
"While serving his time before the execution in solitude, Socrates tells of an incident where he was ordered to bring a man to his execution by the oligarchy of the Thirty, which was then in power. He chose, first, not to physically interfere with their wishes but also chose not to obey their orders as he considered them morally wrong (462). By his actions, he seems to be saying that a man must follow his conscience above the rule of the law."

Tags:plato, justice, counteractive, paradox, recollection

Abstract
This paper compares Thomas Nagel's absolutist view with utilitarianism and also discusses the views of several philosophers regarding dropping the atom bomb on Hiroshima.

From the Paper
"Thomas Nagel totally rejects the principle that there are circumstances that would allow the deliberate killing of noncombatants. Consequentialist reasoning may permit the killing of civilians but this end justifies the means reasoning is morally ...."

Tags:War, Massacre, Hiroshima, Vietnam, Kant, Soldiers, Noncombatants, Absolutist, Utilitarian

Abstract
The paper describes and analyzes the Escorial, built by Philip II of Spain, and Versailles, built by Louis XIV of France. The paper shows how the Escorial reflects Catholic influence and Spain's system of a federation of separate realms, while Versailles reflects absolutist ideals and beliefs in the divine right of kings. The paper then discusses how while both Louis XIV and Philip II claimed to be absolutist monarchs, Louis XIV was more successful at putting absolutism into practice, while Philip II was still competing for power with the separate assemblies in Spain.

From the Paper
"The Escorial, as shown in the picture, is surrounded by high walls and is in the design of a gridiron, in order to commemorate St. Laurence, who was roasted on a gridiron. El Escorial is noted for being more similar to a fortress than a monastery or palace, because of its austerity and lack of ornamentation. Philip II is quoted to have ordered the architects to produce "simplicity in the construction, severity in the whole, nobility without arrogance, majesty without ostentation." Philip II , unlike Louis XIV, was a very secretive, religious monarch, and envisioned El Escorial as a center for studies in aid of the Counter- Reformation cause. Passageways connected his bedchamber and throne room to an altar at which he prayed daily, and a window enabled the king to observe Mass from his bed when he was incapacitated by the gout."

Tags:absolutism, right, of, kings, Catholics, Spain, France

Abstract
This paper explains that, although both philosophers share similar views, Hobbes and Locke have very different observations regarding laws and rights. It gives the following examples: the natural law, the social contract, and most importantly, fundamental law. The author points out that Hobbes takes the absolutist viewpoint supporting an absolute sovereign, while Locke supports a more democratic approach against an absolute sovereign. The paper concludes that both Hobbes and Locke shared vital theories that assisted in the creation of the United States Constitution.

Table of Contents
Introduction
The Constitutionalist
The Absolutist
In Conclusion

From the Paper
"From this, we get Locke's next section in the Second Treatise, which is on the state of war, which occurs within the state of nature. Locke tells us that the state of war is a "state of Enmity and Destruction" where "a sedate settled design is put upon another Mans Life." In this case, there is a conscious design to end someone's life, which can be linked to rights within the state of nature. The state of war is entered when a threat of life is made where the design of war has been instituted. The state of war can also be achieved when the freedom of a person is tampered with, as Locke states, "for no body can desire to have me in his absolute power.""

Tags:natural, contract, law, sovereign, democratic

Abstract
This paper examines the ideals of the philosopher Thomas Hobbes from his "Leviathan" written in 1651 in and how his philosophy compares to today's political system. It discusses how Hobbes was a moral pragmatist or utilitarian and how an absolutist government, with executive, legislative and judicial powers in the scepter of one sovereign is Hobbes' idea of keeping the peace. This paper looks at what his reaction may have been today of America's society and political system with increasing crime rate statistics and how he would have viewed America's foreign policy and the Cold War in light of his beliefs. Hobbes would likely have seen today's America as a failed experiment, falling into the spiral of anarchy and mob rule.

From the Paper
"Thomas Hobbes' Leviathan was written in 1651, at a time of civil war in England. The whole of Europe had been ravaged by the Thirty Years' War not long before. When a philosopher flees his homeland seeking the peace of a foreign country because he cannot stay safely, surely his thoughts turn to the barbarous tendencies of man. Hobbes originally planned on a career focused in three different areas of philosophy: the physical body, human nature and society. He tutored across the continent, met and shared ideas with the likes of Descartes and Galileo, Mersenne and Gassendi. But when war broke out, publishing his views on society and utopia became more urgent, and his career plan got out of order. We can understand his philosophy by his writing, but that can only represent his reaction to his world."

Tags:moral, pragmatist, utilitarian, policy, cold, war