The Birth of Modern Times

What makes our modern

World?

Renaissance Thought

Florence—model city of the Renaissance

Several of the central ideas of the Renaissance contributed to a frame of mind conducive to

industrialization

Secularism—less emphasis on religion and more on material things

Humanism—a shift of the medieval focus away from God and upon man

Individualism—a precursor of the laissez-faire mentality

Historical self-consciousness—a concerted attempt to recapture and go beyond the glories of Ancient Rome

Protestant Reformation Some argue that the spirit of religious

individualism prepared the way for the growth of economic individualism. Elements of

Protestant thought—especially Calvinist--certainly contributed to such a mentality or

Geist, an ethos for money-making

Hard Work—industry or industriousness; dedication to work

Thrift—a value was placed on saving money

Emphasis on production vs. consumption

Simplicity in life-style; some argue that this mentality contributed to the capital accumulation which would later fuel industrialization John Calvin

Making the most of one's time—discipline and ordering one' life to be productive; punctuality

Financial success as outward manifestation of divine favor—it replaced penance and liturgy as confirmation of God's favor

Concept of the calling—Luther's approach that in one's earthly occupation, you could fulfill a spiritual duty; this gave religious significance to earthly pursuits

Sobriety

Prudence—wise management

Self-control

Orderliness—in England, Wesley's Methodism may have prepared the mentality needed for early industrial labor discipline, i.e., a submissiveness to authority

Some argue that the Protestant Work

Ethic evolved into the Rational Work

Ethic

The English Reformation

Henry VIII (1491-1547)

Henry VIII's break with Rome and the

dissolution of English monasteries freed up land to the

gentry and facilitated Enclosure and the Agricultural

Revolution

Advance of Science

Francis Bacon, 1561-1626

René Descartes, 1596-1650

Bacon proposed the use of inductive over deductive reasoning, i.e., starting from direct observation of phenomenon and then going

and going forward to develop principles which explain these observations and

produce "new truth" (vs. starting from a premise taken on authority and then deducing the logical consequence)

Descartes thought it necessary to doubt everything that could be reasonably doubted & then use deductive reasoning from self-evident principles to ascertain

scientific laws.

Thus the formulation of the scientific method laid the

intellectual foundations upon which the Industrial Revolution

was built. Moreover, it also weakened religion's hold in Europe, further facilitating religious toleration, i.e., the strength of Protestantism.

The Newtonian Revolution

Sir Isaac Newton, 1642-1726

Newtonian theory fueled a rising interest in science and things

scientific and formed the basis for practical

application which found expression in the

Industrial Revolution

The Enlightenmen

t

The Philosophes

Voltaire, 1694-1778

Components of Enlightenment Thought

Reason—vs. skepticism, prejudice, revelation, belief in miracles

Nature—what is natural became the standard for measurement

Happiness—vs. salvation as a desired end

Progress—perfectibility seen as only a matter of time

Liberty—freedom from past restraints

French vs. English Mentalities

The French were better educated than the

English, particularly in terms of knowledge about the natural

sciences

The emphasis was theoretical--the French

talked about things, debated them

The English, less well educated, acted--they did something about things— doers vs. thinkers

They invented things based on mechanical aptitude and common sense; thus it was in England where all the basic inventions which brought modern industry were created

English willingness to innovate was critical

Moreover. . .

Adam Smith, author of. . .

This volume, published in 1776, became the gospel of laissez-faire designed for a capitalist

economy. It stressed government non-intervention, allowing the natural forces of

economy, e.g., supply and demand, to determine prices

Parliamentary government in England gave a

voice not heard on the Continent to

the rising commercial

middle/industrial classes. It also

gave freedom to the inventor and

innovator.

And Thus was laid the

foundation for the modern

world