Most historians view the Age of Enlightenment as having closed with the French Revolution. After that, several monarchies that had formerly been pro-Enlightenment (Austria, Sweden, Prussia, Russia; and to a lesser extent the Italian States and Spain) slipped further and further into reactionary policies due to them being frightened by the excesses of the French Revolution and desire after Vienna to prevent such a thing happening again.
Bad luck St. Petersburg rebelled in December 1825, Paris revolted in 1830, and most of Europe in 1848.
With no French Revolution or its spin-offs, how far could the Enlightenment have (reasonably) progressed before it started turning back on itself? Would a reactionary movement have still taken place?
Bad luck St. Petersburg rebelled in December 1825, Paris revolted in 1830, and most of Europe in 1848.
With no French Revolution or its spin-offs, how far could the Enlightenment have (reasonably) progressed before it started turning back on itself? Would a reactionary movement have still taken place?