Why are Frederick the Great of Prussia and Catherine the Great of Russia considered “enlightened despots”?

Question

Why are Frederick the Great of Prussia and Catherine the Great of Russia considered “enlightened despots”?

A. They focused on their countries rather than conquering others.
B. They introduced social and political reforms meant to benefit the common people.
C. They concentrated power in an efficient, central bureaucracy.
D. They gave up some power to create a more democratic government.

Answer 1

B. They introduced social and political reforms meant to benefit the common people.

Answer 2

Both Frederick the Great of Prussia and Catherine the Great of Russia are considered "enlightened despots" because they introduced social and political reforms meant to benefit the common people. This is option B. They implemented policies such as religious toleration, improved education, and legal reforms that aimed to modernize and improve the lives of their subjects. Despite being absolute rulers, they carried out these reforms in order to strengthen their states, not necessarily to democratize or give up power. Therefore, option D is incorrect. Though they did concentrate power in a centralized bureaucracy, as stated in option C, this alone does not make them "enlightened despots". Lastly, option A is not entirely accurate as both Frederick and Catherine engaged in military conflicts and sought to expand their territories.