Transcript The Enlightenment - HOME - West Windsor

European thinkers developed new
ideas about government and
society during the Enlightenment.
The Enlightenment 2012
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXw7
DFuqzzc 15:22 All about the Enlightenment
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S
bRGIFIBcQk 11:02
Women of Salons
The Enlightenment 2012
What exciting conclusion did
philosophers reach during the
Enlightenment?
Answer: Reason could be used to solve all
human problems.
The Enlightenment 2012
An Overview of the 18th Century
► Political History >>> Reform
► Intellectual History   Reason
► Cultural History  Individualism
► Social History  Increased Literacy
 “Age of Aristocracy”
► Economic History > Mercantilism
The Enlightenment 2012
to Capitalism
18th Century Politics
► BRITAIN – Constitutional Monarchy
► FRANCE  Royal Absolutism
► PRUSSIA, HABSBURG EMPIRE,
RUSSIA  “Enlightened Despotism”
► OTTOMAN EMPIRE – traditional
empire
The Enlightenment 2012
 Scientific
successes convinced
educated Europeans of the power
of HUMAN REASON
 If reason worked for the physical
world, then why not use it for
NATURAL LAWS
› Laws explaining human behavior
› Solve the problems of society
The Enlightenment 2012
Religion
 Deism
Belief in the existence of a God or
supreme being but denial of
organized religion, basing one’s belief
on nature and reason.
 Saw no point in any particular
religion; recognized only a distant
God, uninvolved in daily life of man.
 Invisible watchmaker
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The “Enlightened” Individual The
Philosophe
► Students of society who analyzed its evils and
advanced reforms.
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The “Great Debate”
Reason
& Logic





rationalism
empiricism
tolerance
skepticism
Deism
Traditions
and
Superstitions
 nostalgia for the
past
 Organized religions
 irrationalism
 emotionalism
The Enlightenment 2012

THOMAS HOBBES
› Wrote Leviathan
› People are naturally cruel, greedy,
selfish
› Need to be strictly controlled
› Social Contract- people give up
state of nature for organized society.
› Need a powerful government
The Enlightenment 2012
 JOHN
LOCKE (1632-1704)
› Wrote TWO TREATISES OF
GOVERNMENT
› People are basically reasonable
and moral
› Natural Rights- life, liberty and
property
› Government to protect natural
rights
The Enlightenment 2012
Comparing Hobbes and Locke
Thomas Hobbes
John Locke
• Absolute monarchy best
• Government should
protect people’s natural
• People need government
rights
to impose order
– Monarchs not chosen
– People selfish, greedy
by God
– Should exchange some
– Government by
freedoms for peace,
consent
safety, order
– Power limited by laws
– Social contract
– Foundation for modern
democracy
The Enlightenment 2012
 BARON
de MONTESQUIEU
› Wrote THE SPIRIT OF THE LAWS
› Liked Britain’s limited monarchy
› Separation of powers allows each
branch to check against power of
others
 legislative, executive, judicial
The Enlightenment 2012
 People’s
natural innocence is
corrupted by evils of society
 As civilizations progress they move
away from morality
 Believed in limited governmental
control
 Good of the community above
individual interests-General Welfare
 Individual is subordinate to the
community
The Enlightenment 2012
 Wrote
“Social Contract” - argued
for direct democracy.
 Inspiration for leaders of French
Revolution
 Praised the NOBLE SAVAGE primitive man unspoiled by
terrible things like education and
society
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 Social
critic
 Reform
society by attacking
corrupt officials
 Saw
nature as the work of God
and man as the product of nature
 Sought
to set man free from orthodox
Christian views
 Fought
superstition, ignorance
 Struggled for justice, toleration, liberty
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“Encyclopedia” – compile all
human knowledge in one work
 Sought to change general way of
thinking
 Denounced slavery, attacked divine
right, attacked traditional religions
 35 volumes, 27 years’ work
 Helped spread ideas of the
Enlightenment

The Enlightenment 2012

“Vindication
of the Rights
of Woman”
 Feminist declaration of
independence
 Liberal doctrine of inalienable
human rights applied to women
 She was attacked for her views
The Enlightenment 2012
Adam Smith
 The
Wealth of Nations - free market
to regulate business
 Supply and demand
 Laissez faire- little government
interference in business
 Free economic rein would aid the
welfare of all-”invisible hand”
 Bourgeoisie supported, justified
greed
The Enlightenment 2012
Enlightenment Ideas Spread
The spirit of optimism quickly spread
throughout Europe. A few monarchs
became enlightened despots, changing
their systems of government and ruling
according to Enlightenment ideas.
Prussia, Austria-Hungary, Russia
The Enlightenment 2012
Enlightenment Ideas Spread
•
•
•
•
•
Writers, philosophers questioned ideas long held as truth
Challenged beliefs in absolute monarchies
Questioned relationship between church and sate
Debated rules and rights of people in society
Promoted ideas reformers and revolutionaries would later
use to change society
Reforms
• Belief in progress spurred
reforms
• Believed reason could solve
any problem, debated ways to
make society more just
• Did not accept poverty,
ignorance, inequality as facts
of life
The Enlightenment 2012
Revolutions
• Ideas about power,
authority inspired
American and French
Revolutions
• Colonists strongly
influenced by political
views of Locke, Rousseau
You are on a life boat that can hold
only 12 people, but 15 people have
crammed on.
What would you do if you were:
Hobbes
Locke
Rousseau