1 Enlightened despotism Enlightened despotism was a form of absolutism inf luenced by Enlightenment ideas. Several 18th-centur y monarchs, such as Joseph II of Austria , Catherine the Great of Russia , Frederick the Great of Prussia and Carlos III of Spain , modernised their kingdoms by introducing reforms: However, these enlightened despots did not want to destroy the Old Regime, which was the foundation of their own power. In fact, many of their reforms were designed to strengthen royal authority. Explain what the Enlightenment was. Why do you think this period was called the Enlightenment? Name some of the great Enlightenment thinkers and summarise their ideas. Define: enlightened despotism. Assess whether the ideas of the Enlightenment are still valid today. Give reasons for your answer. K E Y Q U E S T I O N S Investigate DIGITAL TASK Look for information on the contributors to the Encyclopaedia mentioned in the text. Make a brief presentation explaining who they were. Compare the features of the Encyclopaedia with those of current printed, digital or online encyclopaedias. Do you use encyclopaedias? Which ones? When do you use them? Who are the authors? E X P L O R E The Encyclopaedia, the great work of the Enlightenment Published in France between 1751 and 1780, the Encyclopaedia, or Systematic Dictionar y of the Sciences, Arts, and Crafts, was the work of a group of philosophers. It described the world with a critical spirit, and with the aim of spreading knowledge. Its editors were the mathematician Jean le Rond d 'Alembert and the philosopher Denis Diderot. The most prominent figures of the French Enlightenment participated in the Encyclopaedia: Montesquieu , Rousseau , Turgot, Quesnay, the Count of Buf fon , Louis de Jaucourt, etc. It contained theoretical and practical knowledge linked to how workshops were run. The work included more than 2,000 illustrations, many of them related to the tools and manufacturing processes used in craft workshops. (9) The Encyclopaedia was hugely successful both in France and in other countries. More than 25,000 people subscribed . It was translated into several languages and reprinted several times. 9. Illustration of a chemical laboratory from the Encyclopaedia Government Bureaucracies were modernised. The central administration was reinforced. They tried to increase tax revenues. Economy Unused lands from the Church or nobility were expropriated and sold. The new owners made them more productive. Roads and irrigation systems were built. Education New universities and academies were founded. The curriculum gave more importance to the sciences: mathematics, physics, etc. 19
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