Absolutist Approaches to Power Practice Test

A secondary source contends: “Absolutism varied by region because preexisting social structures shaped what ‘centralization’ could mean. Where nobles retained extensive jurisdictional rights, monarchs often pursued integration through service nobility, officeholding, and codified obligations rather than outright dispossession. In eastern Europe, coercive labor regimes tied to noble dominance could coexist with strong dynastic authority, producing a different absolutist equilibrium than in the west.” Which comparison best aligns with the author’s argument?

A historian summarizes: “The fiscal-military state became a hallmark of absolutism. Regularized taxation, public credit, and permanent armies increased rulers’ capacity to wage war and police subjects. However, the same pressures exposed administrative weakness and provoked resistance when extraction outpaced legitimacy.” Which piece of evidence best supports the link between war-making and absolutist state-building?