  We give an approach to exponential stability within the framework of
evolutionary equations due to [R. Picard. A structural observation for linear
material laws in classical mathematical physics. Math. Methods Appl. Sci.,
32(14):1768-1803,2009]. We derive sufficient conditions for exponential
stability in terms of the material law operator, which is defined via an
analytic and bounded operator-valued function and give an estimate for the
expected decay rate. The results are illustrated by three examples:
differential-algebraic equations, partial differential equations with finite
delay and parabolic integro-differential equations.
