Explain this comment: Much of the thought upon which present-day democratic government rests began as a challenge to the theory of the divine right of kings. PLS!!!
Very simple. Centuries ago, a king had absolute power. He got this power simply by being in line for the throne, by his birth. It did not matter whether he was a genius or a fool, an upright individual or a knave. This was known as the "divine right of kings", and as the theory went, this person was accountable only to God, and not the people whom he ruled.The king was a dictator, and his tenure was for life, at which time it passed on to his heir.
Quote:
divine right
n.
The doctrine that monarchs derive their right to rule directly from God and are accountable only to God.
People began to question this attitude, and in many cases, bucked the authority of the king, They began to realize that it was important for a leader to be concerned about the welfare of the people whom he served. As this concept developed, it went from a system where the focus of power went from the king, to the people themselves.
There is an interesting anomaly in Great Britain, which has a long history of royal lineage. The real power in that country lies with Tony Blair, the Prime Minister, and the House of Commons, which is the country's real government.
Queen Elizabeth and her family, play a ceremonial role, but have no real political power. There existence as royalty is simply a historical holdover from the days when kings reigned supreme, and is now relegated to purely public relations functions.
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