THE ENLIGHTENMENT

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THE ENLIGHTENMENT
"The Age of Reason"
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THE ENLIGHTENMENT

• The Age of Reason
• Enlightenment thinkers were known as philosophes
• Believed in supremacy of human reason

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THE ENLIGHTENMENT

• Logic and Reason
• Challenged Royal and Church Authority
• End of the Old Regime

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The achievements of the scientific revolution
reveal the ability of the human mind to penetrate
the secrets of the physical universe
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The thinkers of the enlightenment sought to
discover NATURAL LAWS laws that govern human
nature. The Enlightenment began in Paris It was
divided into three phases First, reflects a
significant influence from the scientific
revolution. Second, the High Enlightenment begins
with Montesquieu and ends with the death of
Voltaire and Rousseau. The third phase, called
the late enlightenment, shifts emphasis from
human reason to emotion. Discussed new concepts
of economy by Adam Smith
VOLTAIRE
THE NATURE OF LAW
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THOUGHTS ON NATURE, MANKIND, SOCIETY AND
GOVERNMENT
Enlightened thinkers espoused views that
challenged basic educational, historical and
governmental tenets Leading thinkers were French,
more like critics of the old regime. Felt people
should be ruled by laws not by, rulers.
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REVOLUTIONARY IMPLICATIONS
Human progress was constrained by social and
political institutions If we could find laws to
govern the physical world, why not use reason to
discover natural laws. Laws that govern human
nature The enlightenment is where we get the
ideas People should be ruled by laws Separation
of powers Rulers need to take care of the people
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In 1600s the English Civil War gave enlightened
thinkers much to discuss During this period two
English Philosophers John Locke and Thomas Hobbes
set forth Ideas that are key to the
enlightenment Living in England afforded them to
see very different thoughts about man and
nature And the purpose and nature of government.
ENGLISH IDEAS FOR THE ENLIGHTENMENT
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Thomas Hobbes

• English Political Thinker
• Believed that all people are essentially selfish
• People are only motivated by their own desires

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Thomas Hobbes

• Without Government society is in a constant state
  of war
• Everyone must give up their rights to a
  government

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HOBBES SUPPORTS KINGS
Hobbes witnesses Civil Wars of 1640s Hobbes
wanted to support the royal cause, BUT not on
mystical grounds. Man is driven by desire and
constrained by reason. The absence of power to
overawe them creates a situation of every man vs.
every man.
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THOMAS HOBBES
Believed that people were naturally cruel, mean
and selfish. If people were not strictly
controlled they would rob fight and oppress each
other. Life is a state of nature Life without
laws or controls People enter into a social
contract or agreement by which they gave up their
state of nature for an organized society.
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SELF-PRESERVATION
The only help for this problem, of the state of
nature, is the idea of enlightened
self-preservation. A social contract by which
people turn over all power to the central
government Hobbes did not want tyranny, but a
moderate kingship with lots of individual
latitude.
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Thomas Hobbes writes a book called Leviathan In
this Hobbes maintained the sovereignty is
ultimately derived from the people who transfer
it to the monarchy by implicit contract. The
power of the Ruler is absolute BUT, kings do not
hold their power by divine right. He continues to
say that only a powerful government could ensure
an orderly society. Such a government could
impose order and obedience.
Felt that men would obey the laws only as long as
they felt protected. Hobbes justifies absolute
power while dispelling the idea on divine right.
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John Locke

• English Political Thinker
• Believed people are born
• Free
• Equal
• Good
• Optimistic View of the Nature of Man

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John Locke

• In a State of Nature man is in a State of War
• Natural Rights
• Life
• Liberty
• Property

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JOHN LOCKE
ONE OF THE MOST WIDELY READ OF THE ENLIGHTENED
THINKERS LOCKE DEFENDED THE GLORIOUS
REVOLUTION. LOCKE ARGUES THAT EVERY HUMAN
BEINGS MIND IS A BLANK PAGE, AND ALL KNOWLEDGE
COMES FROM EXPERIENCE. LOCKE DID NOT BELIEVE IN
THE VIEW THAT PEOPLE WERE BORN WITH THE TENDENCY
TO SUBMIT TO AUTHORITY
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LOCKE'S SOCIAL CONTRACT
LOCKE PUBLISHES HIS IDEAS ON POLITICAL THOUGHT IN
1690. IT IS CALLED TWO TREATISES OF
GOVERNMENT IT REFLECTS THE NEW POLITICAL
CONDITIONS CONFRONTING THE ENGLISH IN THE 1660S
LOCKE WAS MORE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE POSSIBILITIES
OF MANKIND THAN HOBBES. HE STILL HAD
RESERVATIONS HE WROTE ABOUT A STATE OF NATURE
THAT MIGHT BE PEACEFUL BUT, WITHOUT IMPARTIAL
JUDGES AND WITH THE THREAT OF CONSTANT WARFARE
THE STATE OF NATURE WAS AT LEAST INCONVENIENT AND
WORST A DISASTER
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THE POWER TO GOVERN
LOCKE STATED THAT PEOPLE COME TOGETHER IN A
SOCIAL CONTRACT BY MUTUAL CONSENT THEY CREATE A
GOVERNMENT TO PROTECT THEIR NATURAL RIGHTS TO
LIFE, LIBERTY, AND PROPERTY. THE AUTHORITY OF THE
GOVERNMENT IS DERIVED FROM THE CONSENT OF THE
GOVERNED.
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FREEDOM AND LIBERTY
THE POWER OF THE GOVERNMENT IS STRICTLY
CONDITIONAL CENTRAL JOB OF THE GOVERNMENT IS TO
PROTECT MANS PROPERTY LOCKE FEELS THAT A PERSON
MUST NOT BE DEPRIVED OF PROPERTY WITHOUT
CONSENT AND MUST LIVE UNDER DUE PROCESS OF THE
LAW LOCKE SUPPORTED THE CREATION OF A
CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT THAT PLACED LIMITS ON A
RULERS AUTHORITY.
WHEN A GOVERNMENT FAILS TO PROTECT THE PEOPLES
NATURAL RIGHTS AND INSTEAD INTERFERES WITH THEM
BY ATTEMPTING TO RULE ABSOLUTELY, THE PEOPLE HAVE
THE RIGHT TO REBEL AS THEY HAD DONE DURING THE
GLORIOUS REVOLUTION
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John Locke

• Role of Government
• To make laws
• To enforce laws
• Laws should
• Benefit the people
• Protect the Rights of the people
• If Govt fails to perform - people have the right
  to overthrow it.

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John Locke

• His ideas were used to create
• Declaration of Independence
• US Constitution
• French Constitution of 1791

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MONTESQUIEU

• French Aristocrat
• Wanted to establish a constitutional Monarchy in
  France
• Wrote the book - The Spirit of the Laws in 1748

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MONTESQUIEU

• Separation of Powers - 3 Branches of Govt
• Executive
• Legislative
• Judicial
• Checks and Balances
• each checks the power of the other
• Power shouldnt rest in on person

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Voltaire

• Bourgeouis - French
• Lived in exile in Great Britain
• Wrote Letters on the English
• praised tolerance in both and religion

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Voltaire

• Civil Liberties - Ecrasez linfame (crush infamy)
• rid of repression, fanaticism and bigotry
• Religious Freedom

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Voltaire

• I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend
  to the death your right to say it.
• Freedom of Speech
• Freedom of Expression

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Rousseau

• Lower-class origin
• New theory of education
• children must develop naturally and spontaneously
• learn by direct experience

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Rousseau

• The General Will
• man is born free, and everywhere he is in
  chains.
• Social Contract
• people entered into a social among themselves
• surrender all their rights to the community

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Rousseau

• General Will
• the will of the majority
• Government is a necessary evil
• if it does not carry out the General will the
  people can overthrow it
• Popular Sovereignty
• ultimate sovereignty resides in the people

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Denis Diderot

• Highly Educated
• Editor of The Encyclopedia
• virtually all important French philosophes
  contributed

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Denis Diderot

• Articles attacked Old Regime abuses
• religious intolerance
• unjust taxation
• governmental absolutism

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Adam Smith

• Father of Modern Economics
• Believed in Capitalism
• The Invisible Hand
• Competition will regulate the economy
• laissez-faire policy
• No Government intervention
• Hands-off

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The Salon

• Women played an important role
• Rich women held gatherings in their drawing
  rooms, or salons
• Writers, musicians, painters, and philosophes
  exchanged ideas

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