Answer :
Final answer:
The Enlightenment led many Europeans to believe in the potential for governmental improvement, challenging the divine right of monarchs. Thinkers like Locke and Rousseau promoted the idea that governments should be based on the consent of the governed. This shift in thought fostered both fear of continuous monarchal power and aspirations for enlightened reform.
Explanation:
Enlightenment Thought and European Monarchies
Following the Enlightenment, many Europeans began to believe people could improve their government. The Enlightenment was a significant intellectual movement that challenged traditional concepts of authority, such as the divine right of kings. Thinkers like John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau argued that governmental power was derived from the consent of the governed rather than divine decree, suggesting that authority should reflect the will of the people.
During this period, enlightened despots like Frederick II of Prussia, Joseph II of Austria, and Catherine II of Russia started to adopt some reformative measures that reflected Enlightenment ideals. While they maintained absolute power, they justified their rule through the rationality and utility of their governance to promote state interests. This shift was a recognition that they could gain legitimacy and stability through the incorporation of new ideas about rights, laws, and the social contract.
As Enlightenment ideas spread, many began to question whether the power of monarchs should be absolute or subject to the people's will. This resulted in a fear among traditionalists that monarchs would always be in power, but it also sparked a movement towards constitutional monarchy and greater political participation for the populace.
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