Enlightened despotism

Some monarchs introduced some of the Enlightenment's proposals. This became known as enlightenment despotism. The motto for enlightened despotism was "everything for the people, nothing by the people". The idea of enlightened monarchs was to yield in some areas but to keep their power intact.

Political measures:

• These monarchs centralised  government to consolidate their powers.
• They made important reforms in  national administration.
• They had an important corps of civil servants that applied these principles.

Social measures:

•  Some countries applied some measures in order to abolish servitude and to reduce the privileges of nobility.

Economic measures:

• Agriculture, industry, and trade were often promoted.
• New lands were colonised to be farmed and irrigation grew.
• National banks were also created.

Cultural measures:

• Education developed by the creation of schools and academies.
• Some new institutions were created to promote the scientific developments.

Religious measures

• There was more religious tolerance.
• It limited the powers of the clergy and Papacy.

The main enlightened monarchs were Joseph II and Maria Theresa of Austria, Catherine II of Russia, Friedrich II of Prussia, Joseph I of Portugal, and Charles III of Spain.