The EnlightenmentThe Enlightenmentin Europein Europe

EnlightenmentEnlightenment•“The Enlightenment” – an intellectual

movement

•“The Age of Reason” based on the Scientific Revolution: Enlightenment thinkers tried to apply reason and scientific method to laws that shaped human actions and society.

EnlightenmentEnlightenment

•Writers and authors held discussions and social gatherings called “salons”

•Rulers who followed Enlightenment ideas in part – but were unwilling to give up much power – were called “enlightened despots”

Two Views on GovernmentTwo Views on Government

• Thomas Hobbes.Thomas Hobbes.– Believed there Believed there

would be a war of would be a war of “every man against “every man against every man” if there every man” if there was no government.was no government.

– ““Social Contract”: Social Contract”: agreement between agreement between people and their people and their government. government.

Two Views on GovernmentTwo Views on Government• Thomas Hobbes.Thomas Hobbes.

– ““Social Contract”Social Contract”•People give up People give up

their rights to the their rights to the government to government to live in a safe and live in a safe and orderly way.orderly way.

•Best government Best government is that of a strong is that of a strong king who can king who can force all people force all people to obey.to obey.

Two Views on GovernmentTwo Views on Government

• John LockeJohn Locke

Believed people haveBelieved people have

three natural rights:three natural rights:

•LifeLife

•LibertyLiberty

•PropertyProperty

Two Views on GovernmentTwo Views on Government

• John LockeJohn Locke– If government fails If government fails

to protect the three to protect the three rights, people have rights, people have a right to overthrow a right to overthrow the government.the government.

The Philosophes Advocate The Philosophes Advocate ReasonReason

• Philosophes: Social critics / French Philosophes: Social critics / French thinkersthinkers

The Philosophes Advocate The Philosophes Advocate ReasonReason

•Philosophes: Social critics / French thinkers. Five main beliefs:– REASON: Truth can be discovered through

reason or logical thinking.– NATURE: What was natural was also good and

reasonable.– HAPPINESS: Rejected the medieval idea that

people should wait to find joy in the afterlife, and urged people to seek happiness and well-being on earth today!

– PROGRESS: Society and humankind can improve.

– LIBERTY: People should enjoy freedoms & rights.

The Philosophes Advocate The Philosophes Advocate ReasonReason

• VoltaireVoltaire– Most brilliant Most brilliant

of the of the philosophesphilosophes

– Fought for Fought for tolerance, tolerance, reason, reason, freedom of freedom of religious religious belief and belief and freedom of freedom of speech.speech.

The Philosophes Advocate The Philosophes Advocate ReasonReason

• MontesquieuMontesquieu– Wrote about Wrote about

Separation Separation of Powers: of Powers: dividing dividing government government among the among the separate separate branches of branches of government.government.

The Philosophes Advocate The Philosophes Advocate ReasonReason

• RousseauRousseau– Wrote in Wrote in

favor of favor of human human freedom.freedom.

– Wanted Wanted society in society in which all which all people were people were equal.equal.

The Philosophes Advocate The Philosophes Advocate ReasonReason

• BeccariaBeccaria– ItalianItalian– Spoke against Spoke against

abuses of abuses of justicejustice

– Abolish Abolish torturetorture

The Philosophes Advocate The Philosophes Advocate ReasonReason• Mary Mary

WollstonecraftWollstonecraft– Wrote about Wrote about

women’s rights: “If women’s rights: “If all men are born all men are born free, how is it that free, how is it that all women are born all women are born slaves?”slaves?”

– Many Many Enlightenement Enlightenement thinkers wanted thinkers wanted equal rights for equal rights for men but paid no men but paid no attention to the fact attention to the fact that women didn’t that women didn’t have such rights.have such rights.

Legacy of EnlightenmentLegacy of Enlightenment

• Influenced American and French Influenced American and French RevolutionsRevolutions

• Spread the idea of progressSpread the idea of progress

• Use reason to make society betterUse reason to make society better

• Made world less religious and more Made world less religious and more worldly.worldly.

• Importance of the individual.Importance of the individual.

Enlightenment ParagraphEnlightenment Paragraph

• SEPARATE PIECE OF PAPER:SEPARATE PIECE OF PAPER:• P. 200, Question #9P. 200, Question #9• Write one paragraph (appx. ½ page)Write one paragraph (appx. ½ page)

Compare the views of Hobbes, Locke and Compare the views of Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau on government. Then write Rousseau on government. Then write one paragraph about how their ideas one paragraph about how their ideas reflect their understanding of human reflect their understanding of human behavior.behavior.