Enlightenment+practiced+by+monarchs

Harry Qi   Prompt # 3, 2009: Analyze the extent to which Frederick the Great of Prussia and Joseph II of Austria advanced and did not advance Enlightenment ideals during their reigns. ** Frederick the Great ** -Invited Voltaire to live at his court -King is the first servant of the state -Single code of laws -Freedom of speech and press -Complete religious toleration -Keep serfdom -Made Prussia more aristocratic - Enlarged the Prussian army ** Joseph II ** -New policy toward the Jews -Abolished Serfdom -Tired to give the peasants hereditary rights to their holdings -Physiocratic ideas: eliminated internal trade barriers, ended monopolies, and removed guild restrictions. -New penal code: abrogated the death penalty. -Principle of equality before the law -Complete religious toleration -Restriction on the Catholic church -Alienated nobility -6000 decrees and 11000 Laws. -True radical changes compared to others Thesis: Frederick the Great and Joseph II of Austria took different extent on the use of Enlightenment ideals during their reigns with Frederick the Great advancing it by creation of single law code and religious toleration and not advancing it by keeping serfdom due to concern regarding alienation of aristocracy and Joseph II promoting massive Enlightenment ideals such as abolishing of serfdom without political consideration, resulting in alienation of societies from monarchy.