Frederick presided over the construction of canals, and introduced new crops, like the potato and the turnip, to the country.
Frederick the Great (1712-1786)or Frederick II was King of Prussia from 1740-1786. Frederick was famous for modernizing Prussia, religious tolerance, and being an advocate of the Enlightenment
Frederick the Great of Prussia, while often associated with Enlightenment ideals, did not fully embrace them in practice. He maintained autocratic control and suppressed dissent, notably through censorship and the use of the secret police. Additionally, his military ambitions and wars often took precedence over philosophical reforms, demonstrating a prioritization of power over Enlightenment principles of individual rights and democratic governance. Thus, despite his patronage of some Enlightenment thinkers, his actions revealed significant contradictions to the movement's core values.
They began to desire political equality
The great thinkers from the Age of Enlightenment were concerned with how people were capable of self government. Self government is not without government and if people are capable of governing themselves, they are certainly capable of forming governments (artifices), to establish Justice, ensure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense and promote the general Welfare of the self governed. From John Locke, to Adam Smith to Thomas Hobbes and Thomas Paine, the great thinkers of the Enlightenment were concerned with how people would be with government. From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Franklin, from George Washington to John Adams the great thinkers of the Age of Enlightenment were concerned with how governments should be with people.
It affected the way people viewed their political rights and their governments.
Frederick the Great
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Frederick the Great (1712-1786)or Frederick II was King of Prussia from 1740-1786. Frederick was famous for modernizing Prussia, religious tolerance, and being an advocate of the Enlightenment
The reaction of monarchs to the Enlightenment varied widely; some embraced its ideals while others resisted them fiercely. Enlightenment thinkers advocated for reason, individual rights, and limited government, which posed a challenge to absolute monarchies. Some rulers, like Frederick the Great of Prussia and Catherine the Great of Russia, implemented reforms inspired by Enlightenment principles, seeking to modernize their states. In contrast, many monarchs viewed Enlightenment ideas as threats to their authority and sought to suppress them through censorship and repression.
Frederick the Great supported the idea of religious tolerance and freedom of thought. He promoted religious freedom within his kingdom, allowing people of different faiths to practice their religions openly and without persecution.
When Frederick the Great rose to power after his abusive and aggressive father, he hoped to extend the Prussian Empire and acted as an Enlightened Absolutist, meaning he embraced ideas of the Enlightenment. Although some regard Frederick the Great as being a greedy military ruler only seeking to increase the power of Prussia, it is evident that he acted as a trailbrazer in the acceptance of new tolerant ideas created during the Enlightenment.
Frederick the Great believed that a good ruler should focus on promoting the welfare of their people through policies that benefit society as a whole. This aligns with Enlightenment principles of rational governance, where rulers should prioritize the well-being and progress of their subjects over their personal interests. Additionally, Frederick emphasized the importance of rule by law and reason, reflecting the Enlightenment values of equality, justice, and the pursuit of knowledge.
They began to desire political equality
They began to desire political equality
They began to desire political equality
The great thinkers from the Age of Enlightenment were concerned with how people were capable of self government. Self government is not without government and if people are capable of governing themselves, they are certainly capable of forming governments (artifices), to establish Justice, ensure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense and promote the general Welfare of the self governed. From John Locke, to Adam Smith to Thomas Hobbes and Thomas Paine, the great thinkers of the Enlightenment were concerned with how people would be with government. From Thomas Jefferson to Benjamin Franklin, from George Washington to John Adams the great thinkers of the Age of Enlightenment were concerned with how governments should be with people.
Frederick II (the Great) was king of Prussia from 1740 to 1786. He was an absolute ruler and considered to be the greatest of the Enlightened Despots. Enlightened monarchs embraced the principles of the Enlightenment, which included the reform of society using reason, scientific thought, skepticism, and intellect.