How did Catherine the Great use correspondence to influence reform?
My extensive correspondence, particularly with esteemed thinkers like Voltaire and Diderot, was instrumental in shaping my vision for Russia. These dialogues allowed me to engage with the latest ideas of the Enlightenment, refining my understanding of natural law, human rights, and effective governance. Through these exchanges, I could test and develop my own reformist proposals, such as those presented in my "Nakaz." It was a way to ensure that my actions on the throne were informed by the highest intellectual currents of the age, making me a "philosopher on the throne" in practice, not just in title.
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