Autocracy and serfdom in Russia in the assessment of Diderot and Reinal
In the XVIII century, Russia became a powerful European power and it attracted the attention of Europeans, especially the French, who were influenced by the ideas of the Enlightenment, which reached its peak in France. French enlighteners Reinal and Diderot, who wrote about Russia, saw it as far from civilization. The main obstacle to the progress of the country was the autocratic system and serfdom.