II. THE ENLIGHTENMENT

•18th century intellectual

Enlightenment

movement which emphasized

reason and the scientific

method as the means to

perfect society

•thinkers during this "Age of Reason" challenged the established social

order by calling for a just society based on reason

A. PATH TO THE ENLIGHTENMENT

Was an 18th century philosophical movement of intellectuals who were greatly impressed with the achievements of the Scientific Revolution.

POLITICAL THINKERSJOHN LOCKE

•People have natural rights no government

can take away without consent of the people

•Purpose of government is to protect the

rights of the people

•Citizens have the right to rebel

against government that does not respect

rights of the people

•The statement “No taxation without

representation” was partly influenced by him

(1632-1704)

1. JOHN LOCKE

Argued that every person was born with a tabula rasa or blank mind. He suggested that people were mold by the experiences that came through their senses from the surrounding world. Believe that if environments were changed and people were exposed to the right influences, then people could be changed to create a new and better society.

JOHN LOCKEEnglish empirical philosopher,

author of Two Treatises on Government -

people have natural rights (life,

personal liberty, property);

government is a social contract

between people and those who

govern

his ideas were used to justify the

American and French Revolutions;

words paraphrased by Jefferson

in Declaration of Independence

(1632- 1704)

2. ISAAC NEWTON

World machine operated according to natural laws, which could be uncovered through systematic investigation. If use scientific method would be able to discover the natural laws that governed human society.

(Basically, if people question what is happening in society then they can discover new ways to correct it which makes a better society.)

Philosophe

•member of a group of Enlightenment thinkers who tried to apply

the methods of science to the improvement of society

•in the 1700s, scientific successes convinced educated Europeans of

the power of human reason

•philosophes began to use reason to discover natural laws

“Lovers of wisdom”

B. IDEAS OF THE PHILOSOPHIES

Intellectuals of enlightenment called philosophe which means philosopher.

Most leaders of the enlightenment were French.

1. The Role of Philosophywas to change the

world.

2. MONTESQUIEU (FRENCH NOBLE)

Did a study of governments. Three basic kinds of government: 1. Republic for small states 2. Despotism for large states 3. Monarchies for moderate size states

Used England as an example of a monarchy. England had 3 branches of government-

Executive (king), legislative (parliament), the judicial (courts) Used separation of powers with a system of checks and

balances. Used his principles in the U.S. Constitution.

BARON de MONTESQUIEU•The separation of powers is the best

way to protect liberty.

•Each branch of government should serve

as a check on the others.

He believed the purpose of the separation of powers was to protect the rights of the people

Baron de Montesquieu1689-1755

•French noble, bishop and philosopher;

•developed idea of separation of power

in government in legislative, judicial

and executive functions,

each controlled by a different - and

competing - group within society;

author of The Spirit of the Laws

3. VOLTAIRE

Greatest figure was Francois Marie Arouet known as Voltaire. Especially known for his criticism of Christianity and his strong belief in religious toleration.

He championed deism, 18th century religious philosophy based on reason and natural law. In this view a mechanic (God) had created the universe. The universe was like a clock. God had created it, set it in motion and allowed it to run without his interference and according to its own natural laws.

Voltaire•pen name of Francois Marie Arouet•best-known literary figure of

the French Enlightenment•said "Ecrasez l'infame"

(Crush the infamous thing),•Believed freedom, reason,natural law and progress

would overcome the ignorance and intolerance

of the Church and social

authorities of his day

PHILOSOPHES

•Defended the free market

VOLTAIRE

and the principle of freedom

of speech.

•Used wit to expose

abuses and corruption

•Opposed the slave

trade and religious prejudice

(1694-1778)

“I may not agree with what you say, but I will

defend to the death your right to say it”

Was jailed in the Bastille by King Louis XV

4. DIDEROT (1713-1784)

Denis Diderot, wrote the Encyclopedia to collect all the new information being brought into the world. Was a 28 volume set of information.An amazing first large-scale synthesis of all knowledge

C. NEW SOCIAL SCIENCES

1. SMITH ON ECONOMICS Was a physiocrat, French Enlightenment

thinkers, who searched for natural laws to explain economics. Rejected mercantilism(government regulation of trade)

Physiocrat was interested in identifying the natural economic laws that governed human society.

Maintained that if individuals were free to pursue their own economic self interest all society would benefit.

The state should not interrupt the free play of natural economic forces by imposing regulations on the economy. Became known as laissez-faire.

 

Adam Smith, in his work, The Wealth of Nations, he gave government 3 roles:

1st should protect society from invasion,2nd should defend from injustices 3rd and final, should keep up certain public works that private individuals alone could not afford. (Roads, canals-used for social interaction and trade.)

Adam Smith1723-1790

•Scottish economist and author ofWealth of Nations (1776);•first to describe and support capitalism

•tried to show that the natural

economic forces of supply and

demand were linked to profit and economic growth

•Supported "laissez faire" market system

and free trade among nations•Opposed mercantilism

(economy left alone by government tooperate through the efforts of private

Individuals motivated by desire for profit

2. BECCARIA ON JUSTICE

Cesare Beccaria believed that punishment should not be exercised in brutality. Was against capital punishment.

 

THE SPREAD OF IDEAS

1. THE SOCIAL CONTRACT

Jean Jacques Rousseau was one of the most famous of later enlightenment. Argued that people had adopted laws and government in order to preserve their private property. Rousseau presented his concept of the social contract. Through a social contract the entire society agrees to be governed by its general will. So liberty is

achieved by being forced to followed what is best for the

general will because the general will represents what is

best for the entire community. He sought a balance between heart and mind, between emotions and

reason.

Social contract

•agreement by which people trade freedom

to a government in exchange for security (avoid chaos)

2. WOMEN’S RIGHTS

Mary Wollstonecraft advanced the strongest statement for the rights of women. She noted that the same people who argued that women must obey men also said that government based on arbitrary power of monarchs over their subjects, was wrong.

She also argued that enlightenment was based on an idea of reason in all human beings. So women are entitled to same rights as men because women have reason.

WOMEN AND THE ENLIGHTENMENT

Enlightenment slogan“free and equal” did not

apply to women

The most radical idea

expressed by women in

the Enlightenment wasthat women were not

inferior to men

3. THE GROWTH OF READING

Great importance to enlightenment was the spread of ideas to the literate elite.

Many new books were written and directed at the new reading middle class.

London had the first daily newspapers.

4. THE SALON

Were the elegant drawing rooms of the wealthy upper class’s great urban houses.

Brought writers and artists together with aristocrats, government official, and wealthy middle class people.

Marie Geoffrin was one of the greatest. Here they would sway political opinions and influence

literacy and artistic taste.

THE ROLES OF CENSORSHIP AND SALONS

• Thinkers during the Age of Reasonchallenged the established social order bycalling for a just society based on reason

•Government and church officials foughtagainst these Enlightenment ideas throughcensorship

5 RELIGION IN THE ENLIGHTENMENT Attacked Christian Church yet most

enlightened thinkers were still Christian. In England the most famous new religious

and evangelical movement-Methodism was

started by John Wesley. His sermons often

caused people to have conversion experiences.

SECTION 2 REVIEW

Philosphers, writers, economists, social reformers

Philosophes To let (people) do (what they want) Laissez-faire Rousseau argued that society should be

governed by what? Social contract

SECTION 2 REVIEW

In The Wealth of Nations, ________ gave roles to the government. These roles included protection(army),public works (roads and canals), and defense(the police).

Adam Smith Who believed in: balance of heart and mind,

rule of the general will, and education fostering natural instincts?

Rousseau

SECTION 2 REVIEW

Diderot’s Encyclopedia was used to attack what?

Religious superstition A system of political limits and controls Separation of powers Idea that God lets the universe run by

its own laws deism

SECTION 2 REVIEW

Allows for society to be governed by its general will.

Social contract Montesquieu’s ideas were used in

what? U.S. Constitution