Enlightened Absolutists/Enlightened Despots Case study: Catherine II (the Great) of Russia (r. 1762-96)

Catherine the Great: German Princess Sophie 1745 Married to Peter Romanov 1762 Peter becomes tsar Peter III, but deposed. Catherine installed as empress. Peter III killed soon after

Religion: Not generally claiming divine right to rule, but rather that using reason for benefit of subjects Tolerance

Catherine the Great: Extending tolerance to Old Believers 1772 Takes control of part of Poland. Treats Jews fairly 1794 Imposes double taxation on Jews

Justice: Cesare Bonesana, Marquis of Beccaria (1738-94) Rights of the accused: innocent until proven guilty Opposing torture and capital punishment

Catherine the Great: 1767 Catherine summons Legislative Commission Regulating legal practices Restricting torture. Disapproving of capital punishment

Education: Education as source of civil servants Establishing ministries of education and/or schools

Catherine the Great: French as language of Russian aristocracy Corresponding with Voltaire, hosting Diderot Philosophes as press agents for Russia Domestic promotion of education/publication

Serfdom: Attempts to eliminate serfdom or improve conditions of peasantry Benefits regarding taxation or military service

Catherine the Great: Initial dislike of serfdom 1773 Outbreak of Pugachev’s Rebellion Emelian Pugachev 1774 Defeat of Pugachev’s Rebellion

Catherine the Great: Repression of peasants Reliance on nobility 1785 Charter of the Nobility Effective enslavement of Russian peasantry

The Limits of Enlightened Absolutism: Idealistic visions vs. realities of power Reforms generally favouring rulers Some benefits for subjects, but limited Church-state alliances being re-established

Eighteenth-Century Society Diversity Four major groups: nobility, clergy, middling sort, peasants

Nobility: 2-3% of population Power derived from land Living off peasants Advisors and military commanders Rich or poor, but with rights and privileges

Clergy: Reduced influence Tensions between higher and lower clergy Questions of election, piety

Middling Sort/Bourgeoisie: Merchants/manufacturers Largely urban, expanding class Tensions with nobility resenting bourgeois

Peasants: 75-90% of population Financial and other burdens Free and serfs Tensions with upper classes

Start of Industrial Revolution: From 17th c. Improving agricultural productivity in England: fertilisers, crop rotation, enclosure Some improvements in Europe

Start of Industrial Revolution: More food, leading to… Population growth, leading to… More demand for food, leading to… Better farming, leading to…

Start of Industrial Revolution: Growth of workforce leading to growth of cottage industries (domestic system/ putting-out system) Circumventing guilds in England, expanding workforce

Start of Industrial Revolution: New technologies, with limited impact James Watt (1736-1819): steam engine (1769) James Hargreaves (c. 1720-79): spinning jenny (c. 1764) Birth of factory system

Britain as economic power: Booming trade, with support of Bank of England Investment in transportation Careful involvement of government Impediments on expansion of economies of other European states

Essay on Crimes and Punishments (1764) Cesare Beccaria (1738-94) Essay on Crimes and Punishments (1764)