Enlightened Monarchs: Crash Course European History #19

CrashCourse
16 Sept 201913:41
EducationalLearning
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TLDRThis Crash Course episode explores 'Enlightened Monarchs', rulers who embraced Enlightenment ideals while retaining absolute power. It discusses the philosophes' criticism of despotic rule and their preference for balanced power systems like Britain's. The video examines figures like Frederick the Great of Prussia and Catherine the Great of Russia, who implemented reforms with mixed results, often favoring state power over Enlightenment principles. It also touches on the challenges of implementing Enlightenment ideas, such as the backlash against reforms in Austria and France, highlighting the complex interplay between progressive thought and the realities of 18th-century governance.

Takeaways
  • 🤴 The Enlightenment challenged the divine right of kings and nobles, questioning their qualification for elite status based solely on birthright.
  • 📚 'Enlightened Monarchs' like Catherine the Great and Frederick the Great showed interest in Enlightenment ideals but maintained absolute power, raising questions about their true commitment to Enlightenment principles.
  • 📖 Montesquieu's 'The Spirit of Laws' proposed three types of government: democracies, monarchies, and despotisms, influencing Enlightenment thinkers' views on governance.
  • 🏰 Voltaire and other philosophes favored Britain's law-based monarchy with its balance of power among multiple institutions and protection of citizens' rights.
  • 🎭 Frederick the Great of Prussia embraced Enlightenment culture but also expanded the military and aristocratic control, showing a complex relationship with Enlightenment ideals.
  • 👑 Catherine the Great attempted to create standardized laws and regulations, aiming for rational governance but ultimately prioritizing state power consolidation.
  • 👩‍🏫 Both Catherine and Peter the Great emphasized education, with Catherine founding schools for girls and creating the first Russian dictionary.
  • 🛣️ Infrastructure improvements like road building and trade fostering were part of the economic unification efforts by Enlightened Monarchs.
  • 💼 The Habsburg monarchy, under Maria Theresa and Joseph II, saw attempts at rational administration and tax collection, as well as efforts to integrate marginalized groups like Jews.
  • 🌾 Joseph II's reforms aimed to diminish aristocratic control over serfs and promote a freer agricultural workforce, although these were later reversed.
  • 🏛️ Despite the push for change, the aristocracy continued to live in splendor, and the growing wealth gap led to increasing poverty among the lower classes, setting the stage for future rebellions.
Q & A

  • What was the main criticism of Enlightenment philosophers towards the traditional ruling class?

    -Enlightenment philosophers criticized the traditional ruling class, particularly monarchs and nobles, for their use of torture, censorship, and arbitrary rule. They believed that these rulers were despotic and that their power was not justified by divine right or any inherent superiority.

  • Who was Catherine the Great and what did she do to support Enlightenment ideals?

    -Catherine the Great was the Empress of Russia who corresponded with Voltaire and offered to print Diderot’s Encyclopedia when it was censored in France. She is an example of an 'Enlightened Monarch' who supported Enlightenment thinkers, although her actual governance still had despotic elements.

  • What did Montesquieu propose as the three basic types of government?

    -Montesquieu proposed three basic types of government in his work 'The Spirit of Laws': democracies, suitable for very small states; monarchies, for mid-sized kingdoms; and despotic states such as empires, which were governed with strict control.

  • What was the significance of Britain's post-Glorious Revolution political system according to Enlightenment thinkers?

    -Enlightenment thinkers saw Britain's post-Glorious Revolution political system as a model of a law-based monarchy with a balance of power among courts, parliament, and the monarch. It also had a Bill of Rights ensuring certain protections to citizens and a multiplicity of religions preventing despotic religious control.

  • How did King Frederick the Great of Prussia embody the contradictions of being an 'Enlightened Monarch'?

    -King Frederick the Great of Prussia was known for his love of refinement and interest in Enlightenment ideas, yet he also built a massive standing army, forced the aristocracy to serve the state, and increased the control of aristocrats over serfs, which went against the philosophes' ideals.

  • What reforms did Joseph II of Austria implement that were influenced by Enlightenment thought?

    -Joseph II of Austria implemented reforms that included the emancipation of the Jews in the Habsburg Empire, allowing them more freedoms while also aiming to integrate them better into the workforce. He also encouraged agricultural experimentation and diminished the grip of the aristocracy on serfs.

  • What were the Bourbon reforms and how did they affect the Spanish Empire?

    -The Bourbon reforms were policy changes enacted by the Spanish royal administration to make government administration more effective, especially in tax collection. They also allowed people of Spanish descent born in the colonies to rise higher in the colonial bureaucracy and army, though they were still prevented from reaching the top echelons.

  • How did the Enlightenment ideals of religious tolerance serve the practical needs of empires?

    -Enlightenment ideals of religious tolerance served the practical needs of empires by increasing the number of useful citizens. For example, Joseph II's decree emancipating Jews aimed to integrate them into the workforce while also ending prejudice and strengthening the empire.

  • What was the impact of Enlightenment thought on the aristocracy during the 18th century?

    -Despite the challenges posed by Enlightenment thought, life for the aristocracy was on average getting better. They lived in splendor, with access to luxury goods and inexpensive labor, and they were able to build monuments to their wealth and status.

  • What were the consequences of the Enlightenment reforms for the common people and how did they react?

    -The Enlightenment reforms often led to increased taxes and changes in trade policies that affected the common people, sometimes causing food scarcity and rising prices. While life improved for the aristocracy, the growing poverty among the common people led to rebellions, starting in France.

Outlines
00:00
😀 Enlightenment and Monarchs

This paragraph discusses the complex relationship between Enlightenment thinkers and monarchs. It highlights how rulers like Catherine II of Russia and Frederick the Great of Prussia, despite their interest in Enlightenment ideals, still maintained absolute control over their states. The paragraph also introduces the concept of 'Enlightened Monarchs' and questions the sincerity of their commitment to Enlightenment principles, suggesting that they may have been more focused on maintaining their power and status.

05:05
🛠️ Reforms and the Struggle for Power

The second paragraph delves into the attempts of 'Enlightened Monarchs' to reform their societies. It examines the efforts of Catherine the Great to create standardized laws and the challenges she faced in balancing the interests of various social groups. The paragraph also explores the policies of Habsburg empress Maria Theresa and her son Joseph II, who aimed to rationalize governance and promote tolerance, but also faced resistance from the aristocracy and religious institutions. The narrative underscores the tension between the desire for change and the maintenance of traditional power structures.

10:09
🌐 The Widening Gap Between Rich and Poor

The final paragraph reflects on the broader implications of Enlightenment thought and the reforms it inspired. It notes the increasing wealth and luxury enjoyed by the aristocracy, contrasted with the growing poverty of the lower classes. The paragraph suggests that while the reforms of the 'Enlightened Monarchs' may have improved the lives of some, they also exacerbated social inequalities. It ends with a foreshadowing of the social unrest that would eventually lead to rebellion against the aristocracy, marking the beginning of significant societal changes that even the most adaptable monarchs could not foresee or control.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡Enlightenment
The Enlightenment refers to an intellectual and philosophical movement of the 18th century that emphasized reason, individualism, and skepticism of traditional authority. In the video, it is the driving force behind the philosophes' criticism of despotic rule and their advocacy for government based on laws and rational principles, as opposed to divine right or hereditary privilege.
💡Enlightened Monarchs
Enlightened Monarchs are rulers who supported the ideas of the Enlightenment, often using them to reform their governments and promote rational policies. The video discusses figures like Catherine the Great and Frederick the Great of Prussia, who, despite their support for Enlightenment ideals, still maintained autocratic control and often acted in their own interests rather than those of their subjects.
💡Absolutism
Absolutism is a system of government where the monarch holds supreme and unrestricted power, unbound by law or a constitution. The script mentions that despite some monarchs' interest in Enlightenment ideas, they were still considered absolutist despots, maintaining their absolute power over their subjects.
💡Montesquieu
Montesquieu was a French philosopher and political theorist who contributed significantly to Enlightenment thought. He is known for his work 'The Spirit of the Laws,' which discussed the separation of powers in government. In the video, his theories are contrasted with the practices of the time, highlighting the Enlightenment's critique of absolute rule.
💡Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights refers to a set of legal provisions that protect individual liberties and rights against government abuse. The video mentions it in the context of Britain's post-Glorious Revolution monarchy, where it ensured certain protections to citizens, reflecting the Enlightenment's emphasis on the rule of law and checks on governmental power.
💡Religious Toleration
Religious Toleration is the acceptance of differing religious beliefs and practices without discrimination. The video cites Frederick the Great's opera about Monteczuma and his welcoming of religious exiles as examples of Enlightenment ideals of religious tolerance, which contrasted with the religious bigotry and persecution of the time.
💡Serfdom
Serfdom is a condition of bondage in which laborers are tied to the land they work and are subject to the will of the landowner. The script discusses how serfs were burdened under the rule of enlightened monarchs, like Frederick the Great, who increased the control of the aristocracy over serfs, despite some attempts to lighten their burden.
💡Catherine the Great
Catherine the Great was the Empress of Russia who corresponded with Enlightenment thinkers like Voltaire and attempted to implement some of their ideas. The video highlights her efforts to create standardized laws and regulations, as well as her failure to unite different social groups under a common vision for the empire.
💡Bourbon Reforms
The Bourbon Reforms were a series of political and administrative changes implemented in the Spanish Empire aimed at improving government efficiency and revenue collection. The video describes these reforms as an example of how Enlightenment ideas influenced the streamlining of government, although they also maintained colonial hierarchies and limited the power of the Catholic Church.
💡Parlements
Parlements were high courts in pre-revolutionary France that had the power to register and sometimes block royal decrees. The video discusses how the French monarchy attempted to reform and streamline these institutions to make taxation more equitable, but faced resistance from the Parlements and the public, illustrating the tension between Enlightenment ideals and the realities of vested interests.
💡Toleration
Toleration, as an Enlightenment ideal, refers to the acceptance and coexistence of diverse beliefs and practices. The video mentions Joseph II's decree emancipating Jews in the Habsburg Empire, which aimed to integrate them into the workforce while also calling for an end to prejudice and contempt towards them, reflecting the broader Enlightenment push for social and religious tolerance.
Highlights

Enlightenment philosophers challenged the divine right of kings and the aristocracy's privileged status.

Monarchs like Catherine the Great showed interest in Enlightenment ideals but maintained despotic rule.

Catherine II offered to print Diderot’s Encyclopedia in Russia, showcasing support for free thought despite censorship.

Enlightened Monarchs were a paradox, often supporting Enlightenment thinkers while retaining absolutist power.

Montesquieu's 'The Spirit of Laws' influenced Enlightenment thought on government types and the absence of divine right rule.

Voltaire and other philosophes favored Britain's law-based monarchy with balanced power and a Bill of Rights.

Frederick the Great of Prussia was an 'Enlightened Monarch' who loved refinement but increased military power and aristocratic control.

Catherine the Great attempted to create standardized laws but failed to prioritize the empire's needs over social groups' interests.

Enlightened Monarchs focused on rational policies, especially for state power consolidation and efficient tax collection.

Maria Theresa deployed soldiers for urban housing standardization and to gather health reports, showing state care for its subjects.

Tolerance was an Enlightenment ideal that increased the number of useful citizens, as seen in Joseph II's emancipation of Jews.

Joseph II's reforms aimed to diminish aristocratic power over serfs and encourage agricultural experimentation.

French rulers attempted to reform taxation and government but faced resistance from Parlements and the public.

The Bourbon reforms in Spain aimed to streamline government and enhance revenue, with limited success due to vested interests.

Enlightenment thought was not universally popular, and reforms often faced opposition from affected social groups.

Despite the rise in European productivity, the 18th-century poor saw increasing wealth disparity and began to rebel.

Crash Course European History is produced with the help of a dedicated team and animators from Thought Cafe.

Transcripts

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EnlightenmentMonarchyPhilosophesVoltaireCatherine the GreatFrederick the GreatMontesquieuReformAbsolutismEuropean HistoryCrash Course