Which method was commonly used by absolute monarchs to consolidate power?

Absolute monarchs commonly used the establishment of a strong standing army as a method to consolidate power for several key reasons. A standing army provides the monarch with a reliable and controlled military force that can be used to enforce laws, suppress dissent, and defend the realm against external threats. The presence of a well-organized military enables absolute rulers to maintain order and stability within their kingdom, reinforcing their authority and reducing the potential for rebellion or insurrection.

Additionally, a strong army serves as a symbol of power and sovereignty, deterring challenges from both internal and external rivals. By ensuring loyalty among military leaders and integrating the army into the state's administrative structure, absolute monarchs could secure their position and diminish the influence of the nobility and other local power holders, who might otherwise threaten the monarch’s rule.

In contrast, while developing robust trade relations and promoting public education are important for a state's economy and social structure, they do not directly enhance the immediate power and control of an absolute monarch in the way that a standing army does. Encouraging local community governance could actually undermine absolute authority by decentralizing power and empowering local leaders, which is contrary to the aims of an absolute monarch.