Why did Denis Diderot become disillusioned with enlightened despotism?

Denis Diderot’s disillusionment with enlightened despotism stemmed from his direct, personal experience with the system during a five-month stay in St. Petersburg in 1773.1

While Diderot had previously engaged in a warm correspondence with Catherine the Great and held high hopes for her reign, his time at her court provided him with a firsthand look at the realities of absolute rule. Ultimately, he concluded that enlightened despotism was not a viable solution to social ills.12

This shift in perspective reflects the broader tension inherent in the concept of enlightened despotism, where monarchs like Catherine pursued administrative and educational reforms but remained fundamentally committed to maintaining their own absolute sovereignty and the existing social order. Diderot’s experience underscored the limitations of relying on a single, powerful ruler to implement the humanitarian and rationalist ideals of the Enlightenment, as the interests of the state often took precedence over the welfare of the people.34