Enlightened Rulers: Frederick the Great vs. Joseph II

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The Scientific Revolution consisted of a time period during which revolutionary ideas dramatically altered the thinking of people. It helped trigger the Enlightenment in which rulers acted in accordance with the advisement of philosophes who believed that everything should be thought of in a rational way that was based off of reason, not faith. Frederick the Great of Prussia and Joseph II of Austria were considered to be Enlightened rulers. By implementing modern changes that supported knowledge, education, and the arts for the betterment of the country and its society, Frederick the Great and Joseph II furthered the development of Enlightenment principles in contrast to the system that was previously enforced. However, they also created a hindrance due to the introduction of reforms that did not adhere to the morals of the Enlightenment such as believing that change occurred from the uppermost layers of a social structure.
After the struggle of the Seven Years’ War, Frederick the Great considered more benevolent policies for the country of Prussia. He realized that more humane sta...

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