Frederick the Great of Prussia and Joseph II of Austria adopted the new ideas of the Enlightenment to varying degrees with Frederick the Great carrying the ideas forward by implementing religious tolerance , freedom of speech and press, and establishing a single code of laws for all his subjects and not promoting them by not abolishing serfdom for fear of upsetting the "Junkers", or the Prussian nobility; Joseph II enthusiastically advanced the ideas of the Enlightenment by completely abolishing serfdom, regardless of what it might cause socially and politically and ultimately did not carry these ideas forward because his numerous reforms caused the alienation of the church and the nobility and radical changes in society. social hierarchy. Frederick the Great of Prussia carried forward the ideas of the Enlightenment by adapting them to his scenario politically and socially to propitiate his subjects after his father's reign. He was rightly labeled as the first “servant of the state” because of his firm belief that all his decisions as a monarch should be for the benefit of his subjects and not force his subjects to benefit him. Some of his most important enlightened decisions include the abolition of torture and the demand that the death penalty be used only in extreme cases, the defense of general education, the implementation of agricultural reforms, the establishment of complete religious tolerance , the professional construction of buildings to house the arts, and the removal of guilds. Agricultural reforms were necessary to feed the vast population of his empire. Implementing religious tolerance was not difficult for Frederick because he had no religion and he improved immigration by giving him more men to include in his army. Buildings that housed the arts, such as the Opera House, were very imp...... middle of paper ...... alienated from the church and the nobility. Therefore, much more than half of Joseph's empire was unemployed and confused about where to go next, causing a great economic depression. Overall, Joseph II was a much more enlightened thinker than Frederick the Great, but Frederick achieved the goals of the Enlightenment while Joseph did. Not. Frederick more clothed absolutism in the garb of the Enlightenment and consequently successfully carried forward the ideas of the Enlightenment. Joseph II was more hasty in applying these new ideas to the unprepared society he ruled and therefore did not advance the ideas of the Enlightenment. Works Cited "The Enlightened Despots". The enlightened despots. Network. December 03, 2013. Spielvogel, Jackson J. “Chapter 18.” Western civilization. 8th ed. Australia: Thomson/Wadsworth, 2009. 546-54. Print."Utilitarianism." Utilitarianism. Network. 03 December. 2013.