Enlightened Despotism in 18th-Century Europe
Carlos III
For family ties and political affinities, the reformism of Carlos III had his continuation in the Kingdom of Naples (directed by his son Ferdinand IV) and Duchy of Parma (the possession of his brother Philip). This reform drive was not coming both from the monarchs, but of his senior ministers: Bernardo Tanucci in Naples and Parma Tillot
William. Also Portugal in 1750 with the new king Joseph I of Portugal who is appointed as prime minister Jose Caravalho and Sebastian Melo, Marquis of Pombal, who also end up applying the formulas of Enlightened Despotism reformers. In the Grand Duchy of Tuscany was the main architect would be the Grand Duke Pietro Leopoldo.
In southern Europe the enlightened despotism book is characterized by the church’s spiritual role and use of the term structure of the church to push their reform programs inspired by the artwork.
ECONOMIC REFORMS
During the administration of the Marquis of Esquilache proceeded to the liberalization of prices of wheat, as it eliminated the rate of wheat, which benefits the producer in 1765, although this was aimed at developing the agricultural sector ended up shooting the prices of wheat and this joined the decree sought a change in the popular dress caused the fall of the minister after the riots of 1766. Suppressed the mutiny the monarch is responsible for restricting the privileges of the guild (because these enemies of free competition in the industry)
, also limited the privileges of the Mesta, and promoted and protected the Economic Societies of Friends of the Country that devoted to promoting agriculture, industry and trade and economic freedom advocate.
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Agriculture:
Completely renovated property guaranteeing farmers and introducing techniques such as crop rotation and enclosure of land. New crops were introduced and there was the expansion of viticulture and irrigation that allowed places like Catalonia and Levante increase yields, diversify products and sell the surplus. It promoted the colonization of uninhabited land (particularly Castile and Andalusia), for immigrants from Central Europe were brought to plow land and end the banditry.
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Trade:
In this aspect highlights especially the liberalization of trade with America in 1778 that allowed other ports (and not only of Seville) to join the colonial enterprise, that greatly benefited the city of Cadiz. This liberalization also resulted in the creation and expansion of commercial companies that negotiated with colonial products in Spanish and American ports. Within the peninsula also favored the trade due to the improvement and development of land routes that led to better serve rural areas.
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Industry:
The Bourbons encouraged both the luxury goods industry such as consumer goods to social prejudices that fought against the exercise of manual labor by the decree of 1783 which declared honest all professions. The monarch was also responsible for subsidizing the installation of real manufacturing (glass, ceramics, tapestries) and protect the creation of private manufactures such as textiles and steel Basque Catalan. Finally also developed a series of tariff measures that protect domestic industry from foreign competition which allowed the development of local industries such as wine or flour.
ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS, CULTURAL AND GIFTS
During his time as king of Naples, Charles III led archaeological campaigns in order to begin excavations of Pompeii and Herculaneum (buried by Vesuvius), also in 1752 during construction of a road was the site of Paestum, which comprised several Greek temples.
Once in Spain, after the mutiny of Squillace, Carlos III led a campaign against the Jesuits, and through fiscal Campomanes did accuse them of instigating the riots, subordination to the Pope, the Indian influence, and possession of great wealth. So in 1767 ordered their expulsion and the confiscation of all their property and possessions, which are used to build schools, hospitals and initiate reforms to enable the funds confiscated. The Jesuits were also expelled from the American colonies.
With respect to administrative reforms, Carlos III accelerated the trend to centralizing and streamlining the administration. The councils, traditional colleges, were preserved (but basically honorable functions) although the Council of Castile retained the fullness of their duties. In 1787 the State Supreme Board is created as a deliberative body that met weekly to the Office Secretaries under the chairmanship of the Secretary of State, and acting like a council of ministers in question.
The gift was the essential element of the policy of Charles III, this policy was intended to bring about the royalties or rights inherent in sovereignty of the monarch, on the rights pertaining to the Holy See. His major successes were the transformation of the Inquisition in an element of real power, the implementation at the University of teachings that would support the path of enlightened despotism, subordination of ecclesiastical power in the royal hierarchy and the expulsion of the Jesuits.
In education, we proceeded to an education reform with the creation of primary schools, the reform of university studies, the establishment of technical schools, scientific and arts and crafts. Also encouraged the establishment of new universities in Hispanic America (Santiago de Chile, Quito, Havana). Also gave the army a few ordinances (1768).
He also stressed the conversion of Madrid in a wide capital equipping of various architectural and modernize through the construction of the Botanical Garden, the Hospital of San Carlos (the future Queen Sofia museum), the Banco de San Carlos, Alcala Gate, the fountains of Neptune and Cibeles, and planned the construction of the Prado Museum. It also created an anthem and a flag for Spain.
Was very interested in the Spanish population and promoted the repopulation of uninhabited land, creating new districts that would be used to increase production, thereby avoiding the bandits. It was also boosted as the census of Floridablanca in 1787 to better control the population, tax collection and conscription.
PORTUGAL
On the death of John V in 1750, the new king of Portugal, José I, selected as prime minister José Caravalho e Melo Sebastian (Marquis of Pombal, 1770). When it came to power commercial backlog problem was due to commercial companies from drawing (especially English) exerted a clear control in colonial trade, so that encouraged the creation of corporate structures and Portuguese capital protected by the state. Pombal Jesuit considered guilty of the nation’s problems, so as to avoid the influence they exercised over the court and nobility, were expelled in 1754 from Portugal and the colonies, being confiscated their property and making the Portuguese church an instrument state.
ITALIA
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TUSCANY:
It was ruled by Grand Duke Pietro Leopoldo and the government was based on individual initiatives aimed at addressing the major problems of the country. In the economic field, tried to eliminate the obstacles that hindered the growth of the country. Tuscany in the sixties became the main center of continental Europe the doctrines of free trade for agriculture, also released the trade in grain and cereals in order to promote agriculture and commerce through the Libertad Act of 1767. Exercised a strong protectionism on the silk industry and manufacturing, state lands were distributed among the tenants, are sought to improve crops, giving farmers in agricultural education. In 1786 he reformed the criminal law abolishing torture and the death penalty. The Grand Duke projected even a constitution which had a representative assembly of an advisory nature and should operate consensually with the sovereign will of the Grand Duke
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NAPLES:
Bernardo Tanucci was appointed by Carlos III to rule Naples during the minority of his son Ferdinand IV, when he moved to Spain to be made king. Tanucci proved to be a jurist of great culture and an enemy of church doctrine in 1767, the Jesuits were expelled. This was intended as the starting point of a series of educational reforms, it was proposed to lease the land seized direct growers, but the practical difficulties and the many interests opposed to these measures, reduced the scope of these reforms merely testimonial.
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PARMA:
Tillot was a fervent royalist minister Felipe (brother of Carlos III) from 1756 to 1771. He considered that the great problem of the duchy were ecclesiastical immunities and extent of property in dead hands, tried to make a greater contribution by the church, which crashed into the position of Pope, this led him to make between 1764 – 1768 regalists a series of measures: to compel the clergy to pay taxes, confiscation of church property, the expulsion of the Jesuits, the Inquisition and abolition of university reform.