Prussia, 1740–1786

Autocracy · Monarchy · Central Europe · Enlightenment era

Frederick II took Silesia in 1740 and held it through three wars, raised the army’s share of the budget, abolished judicial torture, ordered the codification of law, settled immigrants on drained land, and left serfdom on noble estates in place.

Frederick II combined Enlightenment administration with aggressive war, seizing Silesia and surviving the Seven Years’ War coalition. The army absorbed the largest share of state revenue in Europe relative to population. Legal codification, religious toleration and state-led settlement modernized the bureaucracy. Political power remained strictly dynastic and military.

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Dominant patterns

  • Militarization
  • External Expansion
  • Regime Stabilization
  • Great-Power Rivalry
  • Democratization

Political-science factor profile

Each factor 0–100; higher = stronger authoritarian / crisis pole (except institutional stability, where higher = stronger institutions).

Centralization of Power84
Media Control44
Repression52
Nationalism54
Militarization90
Economic Stress48
External Conflict78
Cult of Personality66
Elite Fragmentation32
Institutions72
Social Polarization40
Corruption & Patrimonialism25
Ideological Mobilization30
External Sovereignty95

Economy & society

GDP per capita$1400 (intl-$)
GDP growth+0.6%/yr
Population5.7M people
Share of world population0.7%
Territory~195k km²
Capital population~150k

Closest historical twins

The country-eras whose structural profile most resembles Prussia 1740–1786, by similarity score (0–100).

  1. Ottoman Empire, 1520–1566 – similarity 89/100 · shared: Militarization, External Expansion, Regime Stabilization, Great-Power Rivalry
  2. Mughal Empire, 1556–1605 – similarity 87/100 · shared: Militarization, External Expansion, Regime Stabilization, Great-Power Rivalry
  3. Japan, 1868–1912 – similarity 85/100 · shared: Militarization, External Expansion, Regime Stabilization, Great-Power Rivalry, Democratization
  4. Tang Dynasty, 618–755 – similarity 83/100 · shared: Militarization, External Expansion, Regime Stabilization, Great-Power Rivalry
  5. Ming Dynasty, 1402–1435 – similarity 83/100 · shared: Militarization, External Expansion, Regime Stabilization, Great-Power Rivalry
  6. Spain, 1759–1788 CE – similarity 83/100 · shared: Militarization, External Expansion, Regime Stabilization, Great-Power Rivalry, Democratization
  7. Japan, 1905–1918 – similarity 83/100 · shared: Militarization, External Expansion, Regime Stabilization, Great-Power Rivalry, Democratization
  8. United States, 1941–1945 – similarity 83/100 · shared: Militarization, External Expansion, Regime Stabilization, Democratization

What followed

  • Territorial growth and great-power status.
  • Administrative modernization.