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Chapter 17. Women in the Thought and Practice of the Enlightenment Women, especially in France, helped significantly to promote the careers of the philosophes by giving them access to useful social and political contacts and a receptive environment in which to circulate ideas
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Women in the Thought and Practice of the Enlightenment • Women, especially in France, helped significantly to promote the careers of the philosophes by giving them access to useful social and political contacts and a receptive environment in which to circulate ideas • Despite this help philosophes were not strong feminists and tended to not advocate radical changes to women’s social condition • Most philosophes agreed that the sexes were equal but they also believed in the traditional view of a male dominated society
Rococo and Neoclassical Styles in 18th Century Art • Rococo – embraced lavish, often lighthearted decoration with an emphasis on pastel colors and a play on light • The subject of these paintings were usually the aristocracy in an idealized setting pursuing a life of leisure • Became associated with the aristocracies of the Old Regime; created hostility towards the Old Regime
Neoclassicism – embodied a return to figurative and architectural models drawn from the Renaissance and the ancient world • Recalled the ancient republican values that implicitly criticized the Old Regime • These paintings rarely showed movement; they usually illustrated some moral theme; focused on heroism and self-sacrifice along with moral and political lessons
Enlightened Absolutism • Most philosophes were not opposed to power if they could find ways to use it for their own purposes; rulers also manipulated philosophes for their own gain • Enlightened Absolutism – central absolutist administration was strengthened and rationalized at the cost of others
Frederick the Great of Prussia – First Servant of the State • promotion through merit; allowed free speech at universities; religious toleration; administrative reform – codified law; economic reform – developed Prussian agriculture
Joseph II of Austria • Expanding on the reforms of Maria Theresa • centralization of authority – expansion of bureaucracy; system of tax collection; central councils, expansion of education; limited robot • Joseph expanded these reforms to areas avoided by Maria Theresa • ecclesiastical policies – toleration; subdue Catholic Church; Josephinism; economic and agricultural reform – improved infrastructure; court and tax reform; abolished serfdom
Catherine the Great of Russia • limited administrative reform – put power of local government in hands of nobles; Charter of Nobility • economic growth – exports; expansion of urban middle class; suppress internal barriers of trade