Progress of Enlightenment: A Brief Overview of the Practical Execution of the System of the Illuminati

it will fall again.

Here the great question remains for us: What means are the most effective for our purpose? The best? The answer arises from observation, where one sees what hinders the growth of despotism and fanaticism, and which persons have an interest in their preservation.

Princes and the clergy are primarily interested in this. The former base their power on the prejudices of the laws; the latter, on the prejudices of religion. Together, both form the political bond against all popular enlightenment.

We must therefore deal with princes and priests; we must take them on. We therefore need duties, cunning, and force.

Nothing must be left untried. But one works most fittingly if one could bring it about that these monsters wear each other down.

The measures that prudence suggests to us for our purpose, to reach our intention more quickly, and the resources are as follows: If one wants to erect a new building, one must tear down the old one. Since it is not permitted to attack this building publicly, one must secretly undermine its foundation pillars so that it sinks into rubble by itself. The most necessary means is to bring about disorder in constitutions, disorder in religious forms, and changes in opinions. Through this, we gain, and the thrones lose strength. Everything social must be separated; distrust must be generally aroused according to the fundamental law.

Divide et impera! Divide and conquer! One must seek to raise passions to the highest level. Sensuality and luxury, honesty and constancy—these undermine men, and degenerate men are necessary for us so that our spirit retains the upper hand over them. It is necessary to first make men as evil as possible. Good people are always harmful and cling to the prejudices of their upbringing.

We therefore educate the youth first; the sooner they are educated, the easier it will be for them to topple the false buildings of priestcraft.

As these have sunk, there will still be time to bring them back into order through philosophy.

First, one must turn men into "human-apes," then it will be time to cast them as humans in the Temple of Truth. If one wants to cause revolutions, one must first form enthusiasts, fanatical enthusiasts. Enthusiasts are man-eaters; such is the

usual course of things. The more, therefore, one contributes in a state to turmoil, helplessness, disorder, and dissatisfaction, the more everything approaches our intention. All bonds must be severed so that we find the less resistance.

We must set princes against states, the bishops against the Pope, and the Pope against the bishops; the passions of the great provide us enough occasion for this. Their own hearts must dictate this advice to them; their ambition is the bond through which we lead them to their ruin.

One must carefully seek to prevent all close alliances of the princes among themselves, and always maintain secret distrust so that they can never work together against us through the recognition of their common interest.

Great and powerful monarchs are to be viewed as whole machines that one can use to oppress the small ones; therefore, the great system of a powerful absolute monarchy is never to be lost sight of, and power-hungry monarchs are to be intimidated by this, and revolutions are to be used to incite the small ones against them.

We use Emperor Joseph against the priests, and the priests against him; his passionate character is excellent. He tears down more to our advantage in one year than we could accomplish in 50 years. Despotism among the great must always be grasped and maintained, for every despotic relationship is a public enemy of the people, which often causes more aversion in one year than all our work can achieve after the passage of several years, and through this, the good cause gains a great deal.

Regarding the princes in general, the great principle is to be observed: il faut avoir intrigues secrets et des voies de tournés que les princes plongés dans le plaisir de l'amour, du vin et de la chasse ne s'en aperçoivent. one must have secret intrigues and indirect paths so that princes, plunged into the pleasure of love, wine, and the hunt, do not notice it.

Studying their main passion should be our main occupation. It is best to make them indolent toward state affairs. Through this, our secret enemies and our influence in the governments are strengthened. If a prince is active, one must seek to make business as difficult as possible for him from all sides and propose people for his work who are of our own choosing. How our people are to be placed at courts is explained more extensively in the secret system of the Union. If one sees that the prince has trust in a man who thinks against our intentions, then everything must be applied to remove him from his position or to make him harmless. For this, the