Objective: Enlightenment ideas challenged practices related to religious authority, monarchy, and absolutism.

ENLIGHTENMENT AND ABSOLUTE

MONARCHY

Until the 1700s, people in general had accepted the rule of absolute monarchs.

The exception was England, where, beginning in 1215 with the Magna Carta, the rights of the monarchy had been limited.

But even in England, society was divided into strict social classes.

ABSOLUTE MONARCHY DOMINATES THE LANDSCAPE

Below the monarch was the aristocracy, which was the next level of wealth and power.

The majority of people were peasant farmers.

But an emerging middle class of merchants and manufacturers (business owners) soon began to challenge the established social and political systems.

ABSOLUTE MONARCHY DOMINATES THE LANDSCAPE

Despots=Absolute Ruler

ENLIGHTENED DESPOTS

Some European rulers became interested in the ideas of the Enlightenment.

They understood the usefulness of these ideas and accepted them, at least to a limited degree.

None of the so-called enlightened despots was willing to relinquish any of his or her power to the people.

Their style of governing became known as enlightened absolutism.

ENLIGHTENED DESPOTS

Had no intention of giving up any power

Changes made were motivated by two desiresThey wanted to make countries stronger

They wanted their own rule to be more effective

ENLIGHTENED DESPOTS

Definition1. a person in a condition of servitude, required to render services to a lord, commonly attached to the lord's land and transferred with it from one owner to another.

2. a slave. Synonyms

1.  vassal, villein, peasant.

SERFS AND SERFDOM

Civil Service System=non-elected permanent government employees collectively

1. Those branches of public service that are not legislative, judicial, or military and in which employment is usually based on competitive examination.

2. The service responsible for the public administration of the government of a country.

3. Members of the civil service have no official political allegiance and are not generally affected by changes of governments.

CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM

FREDERICK THE GREAT

Prussia

Late 1700s

Influenced by the works of Voltaire

FREDERICK THE GREAT

Undertook public works projects to put more land into cultivation and to introduce new crops

These reforms made the peasant farmers more prosperous and enriched Prussia.

FREDERICK THE GREAT

Introduced civil service system into the Prussian government

By reorganizing the government according to principles of efficiency and rationality, Frederick actually strengthened his own control over the government and the nation.

FREDERICK THE GREAT

Granted many religious freedoms, reduced censorship, and improved education

Reformed the justice system and abolished the use of torture.

Which Enlightened thinkers are represented?

FREDERICK THE GREAT

Changes only went so farFor example, he believed serfdom was

wrongBut he did nothing to end it since he

needed the support of wealthy landowners (Nobles/Estates)

He never tried to change the existing social order

The main purpose of Frederick’s reforms was to make himself more powerful.

FREDERICK THE GREAT

Most Radical

JOSEPH II

AustriaLate 1700s.Began wide-ranging program of social, economic, and religious reforms based on Enlightenment ideas.

JOSEPH II

Ended serfdom(Most Radical Idea)

Attempted to diminish the power of the nobles and the Roman Catholic Church

JOSEPH II

Seized and sold many buildings and much land belonging to the church and established a civil service to run a government.

Joseph wanted to break down the old feudal system of hereditary and clerical power and privilege.

JOSEPH II

Legal Reforms

Freedom of press

Supported freedom of worship

JOSEPH II

The nobles and church firmly resisted these changes.

Unfortunately, only a few of his reforms continued after his death. (Serfdom Re-Instated)

JOSEPH II

CATHERINE THE GREAT

Russia

Late 1700s

Admired the ideas of the Enlightenment thinkers

CATHERINE THE GREAT

Formed a commission to review Russia’s laws

Proposal for reforms based on the ideas of Montesquieu and Beccaria.

Among the changes, she recommended allowing religious toleration and abolishing torture and capital punishment.

Her commission, however, accomplished none of these lofty goals

CATHERINE THE GREAT

She made some attempts at reforming Russia’s government.

For example, she granted nobles a charter of rights that strengthened their role in government.

CATHERINE THE GREAT

When she first came to the throne, she had hoped to free the serfs (peasants who were legally tied to an estate for life).

However, frightened by peasant uprisings early in her reign, Catherine ended by giving the owners of the estates even more power over their serfs.

CATHERINE THE GREAT

In the end, the ideals of the enlightenment proved to be incompatible with the realities of absolute rule.

ENLIGHTENED DESPOTS