Frederick the Great''s Philosophical Writings

The first modern English edition of diverse Enlightenment-era writings by Prussian monarch Frederick the Great

Frederick II of Prussia (17121786), best known as Frederick the Great, was a prolific writer of philosophical discourses, poems, epics, satires, and more, while maintaining extensive correspondence with prominent intellectuals, Voltaire among them. This edition of selected writings, the first to make a wide range of Fredericks most important ideas available to a modern English readership, moves beyond traditional attempts to see his work only in light of his political aims. In these pages, we can finally appreciate Fredericks influential contributions to the European Enlightenmentand his unusual role as a monarch who was also a published author.

In addition to Fredericks major opus, the Anti-Machiavel, the works presented here include essays, prefaces, reviews, and dialogues. The subjects discussed run the gamut from ethics to religion to political theory. Accompanied by critical annotations, the texts show that we can understand Fredericks views of kingship and the state only if we engage with a broad spectrum of his thought, including his attitudes toward morality and self-love. By contextualizing his arguments and impact on Enlightenment beliefs, this volume considers how we can reconcile Fredericks innovative public musings with his absolutist rule. Avi Lifschitz provides a robust and detailed introduction that discusses Fredericks life and work against the backdrop of eighteenth-century history and politics.

With its unparalleled scope and cross-disciplinary appeal, Frederick the Greats Philosophical Writings firmly establishes one monarchs multifaceted relevance for generations of readers and scholars to come.