Final answer:
The concept of limited government, emphasizing restrictions on governmental authority and requiring the consent of the governed, directly challenged the political theory of Absolutism in medieval Europe, where power was centralized in the hands of an absolute monarch.
Step-by-step explanation:
The concept of limited government stands in stark contrast to the medieval European political theory of Absolutism. Absolutism refers to a form of government where power is centralized in the hands of an absolute monarch or ruler. This emerged in Europe in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries with the decline of feudalism and the rise of new nation-states characterized by centralized administrations, codified laws, and professionally standing armies.
In contrast, the concept of limited government emphasizes the importance of placing restrictions on governmental authority, as advocated by Enlightenment thinkers like John Locke. This concept serves as a challenge to absolutism by proposing a form of government that enforces natural law, requires the consent of the governed, guarantees rights to citizens, and promotes religious toleration and the separation of powers.
Therefore, the concept of limited government provided a direct challenge to the popular medieval European political theory of absolutism (option c).
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