1. ENLIGHTENED ABSOLUTISM

2. ENLIGHTENED ABSOLUTISM
PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF ENLIGHTENMENT IDEAS
Centralization of power & uniformity of law
Emphasized military strength
Secular in basis, promotion of religious toleration
Rationalizing & reforming
Aimed at strengthening state, justified as beneficial to all, & reducing local authority

3. ENLIGHTENED ABSOLUTISM
AUSTRIA: MARIA THERESA & JOSEPH II
MARIA THERESA (r )
Strengthened central power of crown
Limited autonomy of regions
Aimed at making govt. more efficient
Limited burden on peasants, reduced ROBOT
Main concern = healthy pool of military recruits

4. ENLIGHTENED ABSOLUTISM
AUSTRIA: MARIA THERESA & JOSEPH II
JOSEPH II (r )
Continued strengthening central authority
Asserted royal authority over church
Promoted religious toleration
Tried to improve economic conditions

5. ENLIGHTENED ABSOLUTISM
AUSTRIA: MARIA THERESA & JOSEPH II
JOSEPH II (r )
Reformed judicial system & rationalized laws
Enacted far-reaching reforms of rural social structure
Abolished serfdom & robot

6. ENLIGHTENED ABSOLUTISM
PRUSSIA: FREDERICK II , THE GREAT (r )
Great admirer of philosophes & their ideas
Codified laws & made legal system more efficient
Promoted religious freedom & toleration
Extended rudimentary education to all

7. ENLIGHTENED ABSOLUTISM
PRUSSIA: FREDERICH II, THE GREAT (r )
No changes to social hierarchy
No limitations on JUNKERS’ (nobles’) power
State continued to be dominated by military
Economy highly centralized

8. ENLIGHTENED ABSOLUTISM
RUSSIA: CATHERINE II, THE GREAT (r )
Admired enlightenment thought
Based legal reform on Montesquieu’s Spirit of the Laws
Granted limited religious toleration
Allowed limited social criticism
Expanded education & encouraged scholarship

9. ENLIGHTENED ABSOLUTISM
RUSSIA: CATHERINE II, THE GREAT (r )
But her liberalism was limited
Upheld institutions of serfdom & autocracy
Restricted Jews to living in PALE OF SETTLEMENT
Became increasingly conservative
Stopped Polish reforms & crushed insurrection