 |
|
 |
Astérion, n°32/2025
Du prince éclairé au despote éclairé
Edited by
Emmanuel Hourcade, Myrtille Méricam-Bourdet
Astérion. Philosophie, histoire des idées, pensée politique
From enlightened prince to enlightened despot
|
The notion of 'enlightened despotism' was coined in the 19th century to characterise certain policies pursued during the 18th century by the rulers of Central and Eastern Europe. The proximity of Voltaire to Frederick II and of Diderot to Catherine the Great, along with Catherine the Great's claim to Montesquieu's legacy in writing the Nakaz, fostered the acceptance of this contradictory notion by the philosophers themselves. However, despotism, as theorised by Montesquieu and incorporated into his analysis of governments, can be seen as antithetical to the very idea of the Enlightenment. By extending the question to the concept of 'enlightened prince’, these studies explore how 'enlightened’ power was understood in the 18th century, how philosophers were able to assess the rulers of their time and their political actions, and they raise the question of the influence of Enlightenment on politics.
|
|
|