FAQ About Catherine the Great
What were Catherine the Great's views on enlightenment and governance?
Catherine the Great was heavily influenced by Enlightenment thinkers and corresponded with leading intellectuals of her day, such as Voltaire and Diderot. Her views favored rational governance and the advancement of society through reason and science. However, while she initiated several reforms, her rule maintained autocratic elements, balancing progressive ideas with the realities of maintaining power.
