Ch 11 Enlightenment Ideas and Reforms

Two Views on Government

1) Hobbes- Conflict is a part of human nature

•War of everyone v. everyone without government•Life would be “nasty, brutish and short”

Two Views on Government

2) Locke – Human nature is shaped by experiences. •Humans learn from their experiences.

Thomas Hobbes• The book Leviathan

• Must give individual rights up to a strong ruler

• SOCIAL CONTRACT

• Ruler needs total power, citizens bound to obey

John Locke

• Most influential philosopher

• People are shaped by their experiences

• People will always learn from experience & choose to improve themselves

John Locke• All people born free & equal,

with 3 natural rights• LIFE, LIBERTY, and

PROPERTY• Purpose of govt. – to protect

natural rights• People can choose to

overthrow a govt. that fails to do this

John Locke• Father of modern

political thinking

• Govt. power comes from the consent (OK) of the people and so does the right to rebel

“During the time men live without a common power to keep them all in awe, they are in that condition called war . . . as if of every man against every man. . . . The notions of right and wrong, justice and injustice have there no place. . . . No arts; no letters; no society; and which is worst of all, continual fear, and danger of violent death: and the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”

- Thomas Hobbes

Part 2

The French Salon and the Philosophes

Madame de Pompadour

• Salons: gatherings for aristocrats to discuss new theories and ideas

• Philosophes: French Enlightenment thinkers who attended the salons

French Salons

• Small gatherings of men and women in France during the Enlightenment.

• People discussed science, politics and religion. (Spread enlightenment ideas).

Philosophes

• Greatest thinkers of their day

• Social critics of the period in France

• Apply reason to all aspects of life

Philosophes

• Opposed traditions of absolute monarchy and divine right

• Objected to special privileges of nobility and clergy

Jean-Jacques Rousseau(1712–1778)

• Philosophized on the nature of society and government

• The Social Contract (People are naturally good natured).

• Popular Sovreignty – believed government should be created and controlled by the people.

Baron de Montesquieu (1689–1755)

• Influenced by Locke• French noble and

political philosopher• The Spirit of the Laws

(Described his idea of perfect government).

Montesquieu (continued)

• 3 branches of government

• Separation of powers

• Constitutional monarchy

Voltaire (1694–1778)• Real name: Francois-Marie

Arouet• Most famous philosophe• Wrote plays, essays,

poetry, philosophy, and books

• Wrote stinging satires about the French monarchy

• Championed social, political, and religious tolerance

“I may disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”

Mary Wollstonecraft

• British writer who argued for the rights of women during the Enlightenment.

• A Vindication of the Rights of Women

The Encyclopédie

• Major achievement of the philosophes.

• First edition was 28 volumes.

• Leading philosophes contributed articles covering nearly every possible subject.

Frontspiece to the Encyclopédie

The Encyclopédie (continued)

• Edited by Denis Diderot and Jean Le Rond d’Alembert

• Banned by the Catholic Church

Encyclopédie editor Denis Diderot