Monarchs feel the need to practice absolutism, because it means that they have the power to tell others to do. They also want to make their nation a superpower, and the exchange of leadership generally did not help (as the next person can be a 'weak' ruler, or more pacifist. With absolutism, however, a strong leader was able to do almost anything they want to do (within a certain boundary) and was able to wield the power they need that keeps them a leader.
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