4.6 - Enlightened and Other Approches to Power

Definition of Enlightened Absolutism

• Enlightened Absolutism refers to 18th-century monarchs who sought to retain absolute power while also incorporating Enlightenment ideals into their rule.

• These monarchs aimed to temper their absolute authority with Enlightenment principles, shaping the exercise of their power accordingly.

Support from Enlightenment Thinkers

• Despite their advocacy for Enlightenment ideals, many significant philosophes supported the concept of royal absolutism.

  • They recognized that absolute monarchy was a reality in many 18th-century states and believed that the best way to implement Enlightenment ideas was through a powerful monarch who embodied those ideals.

Key Examples of Enlightened Absolutists

• The three rulers who most exemplified this concept were:

  • Frederick II of Prussia

  • Catherine II of Russia

  • Joseph II of Austria

Frederick the Great of Prussia

• Frederick II of Prussia, also known as Frederick the Great, inherited a powerful army from his father's reign.

  • As an absolutist ruler, he initially used this military power to expand Prussia’s territory.

  • One of his first major actions was the seizure of Silesia from the Habsburgs during the War of Austrian Succession. This action doubled Prussia's population and significantly increased its power.

Transition to Enlightened Absolutism

• Frederick's initial actions reflected traditional absolutism rather than enlightened rule.

  • However, after facing significant challenges during the Seven Years' War, Frederick began to embrace a more enlightened approach to governance.

  • The difficulties he faced led him to reconsider his role, ultimately adopting the view that he was the "first servant of the state" rather than the embodiment of the state itself, a stark contrast to Louis XIV's famous declaration, "I am the state."

Enlightened Policies of Frederick the Great

• Religious Toleration:

  • As a non-believer, Frederick tolerated all faiths within his kingdom.

  • Although he favored Protestants in appointing state bureaucratic positions, he still recognized the importance of other religious groups.

  • He supported Catholic Jesuits as educators in Prussia and granted an unprecedented degree of freedom to Jews.

• Legal Reform:

  • Frederick led efforts to simplify Prussia’s complex legal system.

  • He abolished torture as a legitimate form of punishment, aligning with Enlightenment ideals of justice and humanity.

• Bureaucratic Reform:

  • Frederick adopted the German principles of Cameralism, which supported the idea that monarchy is the most effective form of government.

  • Cameralism emphasized that the state should use its power responsibly, focusing on the well-being of its citizens rather than purely on power accumulation.

Catherine the Great of Russia

• Catherine II, known as Catherine the Great, rose to power in Russia through a series of strategic moves.

  • Catherine was married to Peter III, the ruler who had previously saved Frederick the Great during the Seven Years' War.

  • However, Catherine was not content with being just the wife of a monarch; she aspired to be the ruler herself.

  • She orchestrated a plot to have Peter III murdered, ultimately seizing the Russian throne for herself.

Enlightenment-Inspired Goals

• Despite her ruthless rise to power, Catherine was heavily influenced by Enlightenment ideals, which shaped her three major goals as a ruler:

  1. Westernization of Russia:

     • Catherine sought to continue the efforts of Peter the Great in westernizing Russia.

     • She patronized Enlightenment thinkers, particularly Voltaire, and supported the publication of Diderot's Encyclopedia in Russia after it was censored in France.

     • Catherine also imported Western architects and artists to Russia, furthering the cultural and intellectual westernization of the country.

  2. Legal Reform:

     • Catherine implemented legal reforms, including limited religious toleration and the abolition of torture, similar to the policies of Frederick II.

  3. Territorial Expansion:

     • Catherine focused on expanding Russia’s territory, with the most significant expansion being the Partition of Poland.

     • This partition divided Polish territory among Prussia, Austria, and Russia, greatly increasing Russia’s influence in Europe.

Limitations of Catherine’s Enlightened Absolutism

• Catherine's commitment to Enlightenment principles had its limits, as demonstrated during the Pugachev Rebellion.

  • Emilian Pugachev, a soldier, led a rebellion in 1773, rallying serfs and proclaiming himself the true Czar of Russia.

  • Pugachev’s rebellion aimed to abolish serfdom, but it was ultimately crushed by Catherine’s army, led by nobles.

  • After quelling the rebellion, any intentions Catherine had regarding reforming or abolishing serfdom were abandoned, highlighting the limits of her enlightened rule.

Joseph II of Austria

• Joseph II of Austria was another prominent example of an enlightened absolutist ruler who sought to implement reforms in his state.

Enlightened Reforms

• Edicts of Toleration:

  • Joseph II signed the Edicts of Toleration, granting religious freedom to Jews and other religious minorities.

• Freedom of the Press:

  • He increased the freedom of the press, allowing for more open dissemination of information and ideas.

• Restrictions on the Catholic Church:

  • Joseph II placed strictures on the power of the Catholic Church, reducing its influence over state matters.

Challenges and Domestic Turmoil

• Joseph's rapid implementation of these reforms, without consulting the nobility or clergy, led to significant domestic turmoil.

  • The nobility and clergy were resistant to these changes, which contributed to unrest during his reign.

Jewish Enlightenment and Haskalah

• Jewish Freedom:

  • Joseph II was notable for fully embracing the call for Jewish freedom.

  • His reforms included allowing Jews to serve in the military, enter higher education, and abolishing the distinguishing symbols that Jews were required to wear.

  • Despite his progressive stance, other rulers like Frederick the Great and Catherine the Great did not ease anti-Jewish policies. Catherine, for example, required Jews in Poland to live in a separate district after acquiring the territory.