Impact of the Enlightenment 10-3

Impact of the Enlightenment Philosophes believed in order to reform society based on Enlightenment ideals, people should be governed by Enlightenment rulers Should nurture arts, sciences, and education Should obey laws and enforce fairly Enlightened Absolutism—rulers governed by Enlightened principles but maintained royal powers

Natural Rights Equality before law Freedom of religion Freedom of speech Freedom of press Right to assemble Right to hold property Right to pursue happiness

Prussia: Army and Bureaucracy Frederick William I and Frederick II—made Prussia a major power in the 18th c. Obedience, honor, service to king FWI  army size doubled (1740), 4th largest FII (Frederick the Great)  educated/cultured Friends w/ Voltaire Abolished torture (except treason/murder) Allowed limited freedom of speech/press/religion Kept rigid social structure

Austrian Empire Many nationalities, languages, religions, cultures Empress Maria Theresa (1740)  centralize/strengthen state Worked to improve conditions of serfs Son: Joseph II  reason Reforms: abolished serfdom and death penalty, established principle or equality before law, religious toleration

Austrian Empire (con’t) Joseph’s reforms mostly failed Alienated nobles and the Catholic Church Serfs upset about drastic change

Catherine the Great Russia After Peter the Great  6 weak successors Catherine the Great  German wife Listened to Denis Diderot’s ideas Considered reformed, but didn’t want to upset nobles

Catherine the Great (con’t) Peasant revolt Yemelyah Pugachov (illiterate Cossack) Catherine put down revolt and stopped considering reforms  increased serfdom Increased Russian territory

Enlightened Absolutism? Only Joseph II actually changed things Most were too concerned with maintaining power/expanding empire