Enlightened Despotism Enlightened Despotism

Enlightened DespotismEnlightened DespotismAbsolute power to relatively Absolute power to relatively benevolent monarch intent on benevolent monarch intent on rationally reforming society rationally reforming society Fading use of “divine right” to Fading use of “divine right” to justify power: instead, stressed justify power: instead, stressed usefulness of rulerusefulness of rulerCommon programs includedCommon programs included– End formal, useless “feudalism” End formal, useless “feudalism”

of old regimesof old regimes– Building roads and bridgesBuilding roads and bridges– Creating trained, salaried Creating trained, salaried

officialdomofficialdom– Codifying laws into intelligible Codifying laws into intelligible

systemssystems– Draining marshes and improving Draining marshes and improving

countryside for agriculturecountryside for agriculture– Limiting provincial autonomyLimiting provincial autonomy– Religious tolerationReligious toleration

Royal decree from Joseph II to Poland

France: Failed AbsolutismFrance: Failed Absolutism

Louis XV (ruled 1715-1774) Louis XV (ruled 1715-1774) was indifferent to most was indifferent to most serious issuesserious issues

Bureaucrats realized truth: Bureaucrats realized truth: although France was although France was wealthy, gov’t was wealthy, gov’t was chronically poorchronically poor

Taille tax taxed only Taille tax taxed only peasants; nobles and church peasants; nobles and church exemptexempt

Paying taxes seen as sign of Paying taxes seen as sign of inferiority, so new taxes were inferiority, so new taxes were opposed or evadedopposed or evaded

France: Failed AbsolutismFrance: Failed Absolutism

Repeated war costs Repeated war costs (Seven Years War, (Seven Years War, American American Independence, etc.) Independence, etc.) increased debtincreased debtLouis XV tried to change Louis XV tried to change tax system and abolish tax system and abolish old old parlementsparlements, but , but failedfailedLouis XVI (ruled 1774 – Louis XVI (ruled 1774 – 1792) placated 1792) placated aristocrats by restoring aristocrats by restoring parlementsparlements, ending , ending possibility of reformpossibility of reform

Austria: Maria TheresaAustria: Maria Theresa

Wars of 1740s led to internal Wars of 1740s led to internal consolidation of Austriaconsolidation of AustriaMaintain the monarchy by Maintain the monarchy by increasing taxes and increasing taxes and enlarging the militaryenlarging the militaryCreated largest tariff union in Created largest tariff union in Europe: Bohemia, Moravia, Europe: Bohemia, Moravia, and Austriaand AustriaAttacked institution of Attacked institution of serfdomserfdom

– Laws passed against abuse Laws passed against abuse of peasants by lordsof peasants by lords

– Regularized serf’s’ labor Regularized serf’s’ labor obligations to lords: limited, obligations to lords: limited, and must be publicly statedand must be publicly stated

Austria: Joseph IIAustria: Joseph IISon of Maria Theresa: pure Son of Maria Theresa: pure representative of Enlightenmentrepresentative of EnlightenmentJoseph II: “state meant the Joseph II: “state meant the greatest good to the greatest greatest good to the greatest number”number”Joseph II’s decreesJoseph II’s decrees

– Abolished serfdomAbolished serfdom– Equality of taxationEquality of taxation– Equal punishment for crimes, Equal punishment for crimes,

regardless of classregardless of class– Complete freedom of the pressComplete freedom of the press– Religious tolerationReligious toleration– Equal rights to Jews, and elevated Equal rights to Jews, and elevated

some to noble statussome to noble status– German: official language, to German: official language, to

streamline bureaucracystreamline bureaucracy– Training courses and bureaucrat Training courses and bureaucrat

employment benefits employment benefits Died 1790 at 49: many reforms Died 1790 at 49: many reforms undone by his successor, Leopoldundone by his successor, Leopold

Prussia: Frederick II “The Great”Prussia: Frederick II “The Great”To Voltaire “My chief occupation is To Voltaire “My chief occupation is to fight ignorance and prejudices in to fight ignorance and prejudices in this country… I must enlighten my this country… I must enlighten my people, cultivate their manners and people, cultivate their manners and morals, and make them as happy morals, and make them as happy as human beings can be…”as human beings can be…”Simplified and codified lawsSimplified and codified lawsEnsured religious freedomEnsured religious freedomAttempted to provide elementary Attempted to provide elementary education for all childreneducation for all childrenStrictly separated classes had with Strictly separated classes had with own taxes, land classifications, and own taxes, land classifications, and dutiesdutiesSerfdom existed, but in gentler form Serfdom existed, but in gentler form than in Russia or in American souththan in Russia or in American south

Russia: Catherine the GreatRussia: Catherine the GreatRuled 1762-1796Ruled 1762-1796Wife of eccentric, disliked, Peter Wife of eccentric, disliked, Peter III; took power in coup against III; took power in coup against him days after he became tsarhim days after he became tsarGreat patron of the Great patron of the Philosophes, and Philosophes, and correspondent with Voltairecorrespondent with VoltaireCreated limited support for Created limited support for religious tolerationreligious tolerationCodified the laws, to a certain Codified the laws, to a certain degreedegreeRestricted the use of tortureRestricted the use of tortureEnlightened? She wrote to Enlightened? She wrote to Diderot: “You write only on Diderot: “You write only on paper; I have to write on human paper; I have to write on human skin, which is incomparably skin, which is incomparably more irritable and ticklish.”more irritable and ticklish.”

Russia: Catherine the GreatRussia: Catherine the Great

Pugachev’s RebellionPugachev’s Rebellion– Pugachev, a Cossack, Pugachev, a Cossack,

declared himself the true declared himself the true tsar, supposedly Peter III tsar, supposedly Peter III returned from abroadreturned from abroad

– Led pillaging band of serfs, Led pillaging band of serfs, mine workers, fishermen mine workers, fishermen through eastern Russia through eastern Russia

– Captured, and executed in Captured, and executed in MoscowMoscow

– Most violent uprising in Most violent uprising in history of Russia up to that history of Russia up to that timetime

– Catherine responded with Catherine responded with repressionrepression