the enlightenment is a period of new ideas about government and rulers. philosophe – philosophers...
TRANSCRIPT
• The Enlightenment is a period of new ideas about government and rulers.
• Philosophe – Philosophers who created Enlightened ideas.
• Rationalism was a popular philosophy.– Truth can only be reached through logic.
• Natural Law – Philosophes believed society followed the laws of nature.– Survival of the fittest.
• Enlightened Despot – King who ruled according to Enlightenment ideas.
The Philosophes
• Cesare Beccaria.
• Italian lawyer.
• Opposed torture as a way to get accused to confess.– Felt it led to false confessions and innocent
deaths.
• Advocated “Innocent until proven guilty”.
Cesare Beccaria
• Baron de Montesquieu.
• French writer.
• Hated monarchies.
• Felt that government should exist to serve the people.
• Government should fit the needs of the people.
• Advocated a separation of powers in government, to prevent dictatorship.
Baron de Montesquieu
• Adam Smith.
• Scottish economist.
• Felt economics was key to improving society.
• Advocated free enterprise, where people can enter any business they want.
• Advocated free market economy, where people go into business to make money.– Consumers determine value of goods and
services.
Adam Smith
• Voltaire.
• French writer.
• Went against Catholic Church.
• Felt that you can’t count on God for happiness.
• People must work to improve their lives and society.
Voltaire
• Denis Diderot.• French writer.• Believed knowledge was key to improving
society.• An educated society can identify problems
and find solutions.• Wrote “Encyclopedie”, a collection of all
knowledge, filled with Enlightenment ideas.
Denis Diderot
• Jean-Jacques Rousseau.
• French writer.
• Believed people were naturally good, but society corrupted them.
• Felt that government should be made up of people who worked for the common good.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
• Mary Wollstonecraft.
• English writer.
• Only female Philosophe.
• Advocated women’s rights.– Felt that women were as smart and capable
as men.– Unsuccessful.
Mary Wollstonecraft