The political philosophy of the Egyptian government can be best understood through the lens of option C: absolute monarchy.
1. Old Kingdom (c. 2686–2181 BCE): During the Old Kingdom, Pharaohs were seen as divine rulers with absolute authority over their subjects. They were considered living gods, intermediaries between the gods and the people, who maintained ma'at (order and harmony). This period established the political philosophy of absolute monarchy, where the king's decrees were law, and his power was largely unchallenged.
2. Middle Kingdom (c. 2055–1650 BCE): The Middle Kingdom also reinforced the concept of absolute monarchy, but with some elements of bureaucratic governance. While the Pharaoh's status as a divine ruler remained, there was increased focus on justice and the welfare of the people, leading to the idea of the Pharaoh as a shepherd of his people. However, the king's absolute power was still the core principle of governance.
3. New Kingdom (c. 1550–1070 BCE): In the New Kingdom, the idea of absolute monarchy persisted. Pharaohs like Ramses II wielded enormous power, leading military campaigns and overseeing monumental building projects. While some Pharaohs promoted religious changes, such as Akhenaten’s brief move towards monotheism, the overarching philosophy remained one of absolute monarchy, where the Pharaoh's word was law, and he maintained control over both religious and political spheres.
While ideas such as monotheism (particularly during Akhenaten's reign) and aspects related to economic systems like capitalism emerged later in Egypt’s history, these were not foundational elements of its dynastic political philosophy. There are also limited instances of women in power, particularly in specific dynasties, but this did not translate into a systemic feminist political philosophy across the dynastic periods.
Thus, across all three major dynastic periods, the prevalent political philosophy of the Egyptian government can be best defined by absolute monarchy.
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