High papal authority arose historically to fight against the pagan claims of nations, not as opposed to the plurality of bishops in the Church. The options are papal supremacist integralism or pagan statism.

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Let’s first look at the formation of the college of cardinals. It was done in response to the Byzantine empire becoming iconoclast. The Pope being selected in this unique way was done not to attack the Pope as Bishop of Rome, but to prevent heretical emperors from choosing him.

Now let’s look at specific documents or events that lead to a massive growth in papal power.

Consider Dictatus Papae. This document came about to defend the Church against the Holy Roman Empire.

Or consider Unam Sanctam. This papal bull was written to defend the Church in France against taxation by Philip the Fair.

Or consider Vatican I. It occured in response to the destruction of the Papal States.

Pope Leo XIII, the first Pope to write extensively, did so to respond to the crisis of secularism in the world. The Church no longer exercised temporal power, and so instead had to become a mere teacher to the nations.

As a contrast for what happens without papal supremacy, consider how Peter “the Great” was able to simply abolish the Russian Patriarchate to prevent the Church from having more power than the state in Russia.

Opponents of papal authority essentially allow a pagan polity, even if their intention is simply to get back to the early Church. The bishops of the country will always tend to follow their government, even when it is in conflict with the Church.

Some may object that this fails when we have a bad Pope, like Pope Francis. I would respond that the world has a far better Pope than it deserves. Unless you deny the providence of God, you ought to believe that God has the power to give us good and bad Popes.

God will give us a good Pope when the Church deserves it. We will have a Pope who will be willing to stand up to the nations. We will have a Pope who “saith to Sion: Thy God shall reign!” (Isa 52:7).