The The

Enlightenment

Enlightenment

in Europein Europe

ObjectiveObjective• To understand the ideas behind the Age of To understand the ideas behind the Age of

EnlightenmentEnlightenment

• To understand how those ideas affected politics and To understand how those ideas affected politics and societysociety

Thomas HobbesThomas Hobbes• All humans were All humans were naturally naturally

selfish and wicked,selfish and wicked, therefore therefore governments must keep order.governments must keep order.

• People should hand over their People should hand over their rights to a strong ruler. This was rights to a strong ruler. This was what Hobbes called a what Hobbes called a social social contractcontract..

• Strong ruler should have total Strong ruler should have total power (an power (an absolute monarchyabsolute monarchy).).

• This powerful government with This powerful government with awesome power is what he awesome power is what he called a called a leviathanleviathan (sea (sea monster) therefore he titled his monster) therefore he titled his book book LeviathanLeviathan (1651). (1651).

John LockeJohn Locke• People were reasonable People were reasonable

(though still selfish) and (though still selfish) and had the natural rights to had the natural rights to lifelife, , libertyliberty, and , and propertyproperty..

• Purpose of government is Purpose of government is to protect these to protect these natural natural rightsrights..

• Government power comes Government power comes from the consent of the from the consent of the people.people.

Social Contract Social Contract Thomas Hobbes John Locke

• Humans are naturally cruel, greedy and selfish.

• To escape this “brutish” life people entered into a social contract.

• Only a powerful government could ensure an orderly society.

• Believed only an absolute monarchy could keep a society completely orderly.

• Humans are naturally reasonable, moral and good

• Humans have natural rights: life liberty and property

• People form governments to protect natural rights

• Best government was one with limited power

• If a government violates people’s natural rights, people have the right to overthrow government

VoltaireVoltaire• Wrote more than 70 Wrote more than 70

books of political essays, books of political essays, philosophy, and drama.philosophy, and drama.

• Used satire against his Used satire against his enemies, especially the enemies, especially the clergy.clergy.

• Beliefs:Beliefs:• ToleranceTolerance

• ReasonReason

• Freedom of religious beliefFreedom of religious belief

• Freedom of speechFreedom of speech

““I do not agree with a word you I do not agree with a word you say, but I will defend to the say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.death your right to say it.””

VoltaireVoltaire

MontesqieuMontesqieu

• Believed Britain was the Believed Britain was the best-governed and most best-governed and most politically balanced politically balanced country of his own day.country of his own day.

• Proposed the Proposed the ““separation separation of powersof powers”” between between executive, legislative, executive, legislative, and judicial branches of and judicial branches of government.government.

• Proposed Proposed ““checks and checks and balances.balances.””

Jean-Jacques RousseauJean-Jacques Rousseau• Passionately Passionately

committed to committed to individual freedomindividual freedom..

• Believed Believed man was man was born free and good born free and good but easily but easily corrupted.corrupted.

• Believed the only Believed the only good government good government was the was the ““general general willwill”” or direct or direct democracy.democracy.

““Man is born free, yet Man is born free, yet everywhere he is in chains.everywhere he is in chains.””

RousseauRousseau

Cesare Bonesana BeccariaCesare Bonesana BeccariaBeliefsBeliefs

• Laws existed to Laws existed to preserve social preserve social orderorder, not avenge crime., not avenge crime.

• Accused should receive Accused should receive speedy speedy trials.trials.

• Torture should never be used.Torture should never be used.

• Degree of punishment should Degree of punishment should match seriousness of crime.match seriousness of crime.

• Capital punishment Capital punishment (death (death penalty) should be penalty) should be abolishedabolished..

Mary WollstonecraftMary Wollstonecraft• Women should be Women should be

equallyequally educated educated along with men.along with men.

• Women should enter Women should enter professions professions traditionally traditionally dominated by men dominated by men like medicine and like medicine and politics.politics.

• Wrote Wrote A Vindication of A Vindication of the Rights of Womanthe Rights of Woman

The “Great Debate”

Reason& LogicReason& Logic

Traditionsand

Superstitions

Traditionsand

Superstitions

• rationalismrationalism• empiricismempiricism• tolerancetolerance• skepticismskepticism• DeismDeism

• nostalgia for nostalgia for the pastthe past

• organized organized religionsreligions

• irrationalismirrationalism• emotionalismemotionalism