There is much debate over whether Catherine the Great was an
enlightened despot. This paper discusses that, despite contentions
that her policies were enacted to only benefit herself, Catherine the Great studied the works of leading
enlightened thinkers so that she could make educated decisions for her country. It explains how Catherine the Great's exact goals as a ruler may be found in her 1766 work, entitled "Instructions to the Commissioners for Composing a New Code of Laws," which references enlightened thinkers of the day and promoted the creation of a free society. Although Catherine the Great did not achieve all of her enlightened goals, she took steps that allowed them to be realized in the future.