The Alien and Sedition Act, Amnesty Law, and <span>Espionage Act of 1917 unauthorized the president to arrest and deport immigrants who criticized the federal government and limit the free speech of Americans.</span>
Absolutism is a form of government where one person or small group of people have unlimited power. The term "czar" means "caesar" ("king"), and therefore can be considered a type of absolute ruler. Ivan the Great of Russia (r.1462-1505) took the title of "czar" after marrying the niece of the last Byzantine empire. After the fall of Constantinople (and thus, the Byzantine Empire), Moscow became the most powerful city in the Eastern Orthodox Church. Thus, the "czar" of Russia would from then on claim to be the inheritor of the Byzantine emperor and protector of the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Two rulers of Russia stand out as being "absolute rulers": Peter the Great (r.1682-1725) and Catherine the Great (r.1762-1796). Peter wanted to make Russia into a modern nation, and forced Russians to adopt European culture. To do this, Peter created a new class of nobles that were given land in exchange for their loyalty to the government. Nobles were given total control over their peasants, who saw their freedom decrease during Peter's rule. To reform the government, Peter created a centralized bureaucracy of non-elected advisers and local governments were placed under the direct control of the czar. Peter also brought the Orthodox Church under his authority and created a council of bishops appointed by him. While many of Peter's policies improved the Russian economy, he divided the Russian people. (See image: Courtesy of saint-petersburg.com)
Catherine the Great began her rule by seizing power from her own husband! Catherine greatly admired Peter I and continued to expand and modernize Russia. Many people consider Catherine's reign a golden age of Russia because she supported the arts, education, and culture. Despite being influenced by the European enlightenment, Catherine feared chaos and peasant uprisings were brutally crushed by her army. She allowed nobles to treat their serfs (peasants) however they wished. More peasants than ever were forced into serfdom than ever before, and their position worsened.
The rights of Israeli citizens differ greatly from the rights of Iranian and Saudi Arabian citizens. The only similarity between the three countries is that they all offer citizens some degree of voting rights, but these rights vary among the nations. Israel and Iran allow both men and women to vote, while Saudi Arabia restricts voting to men only. The governments of Saudi Arabia and Iran both restrict the rights of their citizens to a great degree. In these countries there is little political participation, as political parties do not exist and supreme rulers, not citizens, decide on most aspects of government. Freedoms of speech, press, and religion are also very limited in Saudi Arabia and Iran. Israel's government provides citizens with a large degree of political participation. There are many different political parties to join, and freedoms like speech and religion are guaranteed by law.