AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT

WHAT IS IT?• A historic period from about 1650 –

1800• A movement where many European

thinkers and scholars thought reason could solve all humanity’s problems• Many thinkers also supported new

ideas of equality, natural rights, limited government, and democracy• Most Enlightenment thinkers opposed

absolute monarchy & organized religion

MAJOR IDEAS•FREEDOM OF RELIGION•NATURAL RIGHTS•SOCIAL CONTRACT•SEPARATION OF POWERS•LAISSEZ-FAIRE•EQUALITY FOR WOMEN

MAJOR THINKERS• VOLTAIRE• JOHN LOCKE• JEAN-JACQUES ROUSSEAU• BARON DE MONTESQUIEU•MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT• ADAM SMITH

JOHN LOCKE• People were reasonable and

moral• People had natural rights• People formed governments to

protect their natural rights• A government has an obligation

to the people it governs, and if the government fails its obligation or violates peoples natural rights, the people have the right to overthrow that government

• Two Treatises of Government

VOLTAIRE• Fought against inequality

and injustice• Defended the principle of

freedom of speech• Fought against the slave

trade• RELIGIOUS TOLERATION– Allowing the practice of

religions, without any interference, that are different from the religion of the majority of people in a country

RELIGIOUS TOLERATION

• I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.

• What do you think this quote means?

• All sects [religions] are different, because they come from men; morality is everywhere the same, because it comes from God.

• According to this quote, who created all religions?

• What do you think this quote means when considering “religious toleration”?

EFFECTS OF RELIGIOUS TOLERATION

ROUSSEAU• People were basically good and their

innocence was corrupted by the evils of society

• Society placed too many limitations on people

• Government should be freely elected• The good of the community should be put

above the individual• Against unequal distribution of property• The Social Contract

MONTESQUIEU• Criticized absolute monarchies and

admired Britain’s limited monarchy• Separation of powers (executive,

legislative, judicial)• Each branch of government should

be able to check on another (checks and balances)

• The Spirit of Laws

MARY WOLLSTONECRAF

T• A woman’s first duty was to be a mother

• A woman had the right to decide what was in her own interest

• Should not be completely dependent on her husband

• Equal educations for boys and girls

• The Vindication of the Rights of Women

ADAM SMITH• Focused on economic reform• Rejected mercantilism• LAISSEZ-FAIRE– The principle that the government should

follow a “hands off” policy in business and the economy

– Businesses should be allowed to operate with little or no government interference

• The free markets should be allowed ti regulate business activity

• The Wealth of Nations

LAISSEZ – FAIRETHE PRINCIPLE THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD KEEP ITS “HANDS OFF” BUSINESS AND THE ECONOMY

ADAM SMITHThis Scottish philosopher developed the idea of laissez-faire in his 1776 book, The Wealth of Nations

GOVERNMENT

ECONOMYIMPACT OF LAISSEZ-FAIRE ON ENGLAND

Parliament used laissez – faire ideas in England. These policies allowed

businesses to grow, and this eventually led to the Industrial Revolution which improved the

economic production of England, Europe, and eventually the world

LAISSEZ-FAIRE VS. MERCANTILISM

LAISSEZ - FAIRE MERCANTILISM

RELIGIOUS TOLERATION &LAISSEZ – FAIRE

• What do these two ideas have in common?

• What principle is common to both of these concepts?

• What do both these concepts do to the power of the government?

MAJOR IMPACTS• Natural rights, separation of powers, and

social contract inspired political revolutions against monarchies in:– France– United States of America– Latin America

• Women started to push for equal rights• Limited government & limited monarchy

started to replace absolute monarchy in Europe

• Laissez-faire helped lead to the Industrial Revolution in England & the rest of Europe