No monarch could be truly enlightened and? possess absolute power.” Do you agree?

1. “Enlightened despotism is a contradiction in terms. No monarch could be truly enlightened and? possess absolute power.” Do you agree? Consider in your argument the opinions of philosophies such as Voltaire and Diderot, Montesquieu, and Rousseau. You should also discuss the reigns of Frederick the Great, Maria-Theresa and Joseph II , and Catherine the Great (good points of contrast would be the reign of Louis XIV and constitutional monarchy in England--hint hint) and how they met or failed to meet Enlightenment ideals.

2. Imagine that you are wandering through France in July 1815 (after the final defeat of Napoleon). You meet a peasant, a Catholic priest, an urban shopkeeper, the wealthy owner of a textile manufacturing firm, and an aristocrat. You discuss the French Revolution with each of them. How would these individuals evaluate the achievements (or failures) of the Revolution and Emperor Napoleon? BE SPECIFIC AND USE SPECIFIC EXAMPLES!