Louis XIV did a good job of dominating the nobility to consolidate power, and he fought wars to show it. He was the one who said "The State is Me," which goes t

Louis XIV did a good job of dominating the nobility to consolidate power, and he fought wars to show it. He was the one who said "The State is Me," which goes to show a prototypical concept of The State was already developed. But he was only able to do it by such great expenditures of wealth and willpower that it ultimately bankrupted the country and led to the Revolution. He commanded those resources because he was supremely rich. The State's relationship with its citizens is different from a king to his subjects, and doesn't require such great expenditures of wealth to maintain consolidation. The State was developed by kings, but once mature it no longer needed kings. It took a while still after that for The State to reach a level of domination over society that allowed it to engage the entire country in war, which wouldn't have been possible had it still been subject to a king. The State is more like God, and kings are subject to it.