Big Idea: The Enlightenment changed the ideas of government
17.2 THE ENLIGHTENMENT
PATH & SPREAD OF ENLIGHTENMENT IDEAS
Enlightenment: 18th cen. philosophical movement
Philosophe (philosopher) –most were French
Meet in Salons (elegant drawing Rooms)
Focused on reason: applying scientific methods to understanding & bettering life
Middle class literacy rises–printing press Magazines Newspapers
POLITICAL THOUGHT Thomas Hobbes (English) page
476: Alarmed by revolutions Wrote Leviathan
before organized society people were nasty, brutish & focused on survival
Solution -Social contact Establish absolute ruler
preserve order
THE SOCIAL CONTRACT Jean Jacques Rousseau (French Philosopher)
Government people adopted laws & gov to protect private property.
social contract- society agrees to be governed by general will (what society feels is best.)
those who don’t are forced to Education
Foster natural instincts Sought balance btw heart & mind Women-wives & mothers
JOHN LOCKE: (ENGLISH) PAGES 477 & 546
Wrote Two Treatises of Gov.
Against absolute rule
Natural rights (life, liberty, property)
Gov’s. purpose -protect natural rights-if
not people can rebel.- (ex: American Rev).
Influenced Enlightenment
Everyone born with tabula rasa(blank mind)
molded/influenced by environment
Change environment- change people.
MONTESQUIEU (FRENCH NOBLE)
Wrote Spirit of Laws 3 kinds of gov: 1. Republic -small states 2. Despotism -large states 3. Monarchies -moderate size states Identified 3 branches of Gov & sep. of powers
(checks & balances) –(Ex: England) Executive (king), legislative (parliament), the judicial (courts)
influence U.S. Constitution.
ISAAC NEWTON’S ENLIGHTENMENT INFLUENCE
World machine concept-world followed natural laws understood by systematic investigation.
Used scientific method to discover society’s natural laws= better society
Voltaire (French philosopher) Criticized Catholic Church - religious
intolerance Followed world machine concept
added deism mechanic (God) created universe (clock) & set it in motion to run without his interference
DIDEROT (FRENCH PHILOSOPHER ) (1713-1784)
wrote the Encyclopedia –collection of knowledge Attacked old views
religious superstition Supported religious toleration
NEW SOCIAL SCIENCES ECONOMICS
Adam Smith (Scottish philosopher) Wrote Wealth of Nations
Used natural laws to explain economics.
individuals pursue own economic self interest
No gov involvement (Laissez Faire)
3 roles of gov 1. Protection2. Defend from
injustice 3. Maintain public
works
ENLIGHTENMENT CRIMINAL JUSTICE
17th cen punishments were cruel- deter crime (weak police forces)
Enlightenment Views Cesare Beccaria (French Philosopher)
Punishment shouldn’t match the crime – not extreme
against capital punishment.
WOMEN’S RIGHTS
Mary Wollstonecraft against obeying men
Compared it to monarchs absolute rule over subjects, was wrong.
All humans have reason women have reason & are entitled to equal rights
ENLIGHTENMENT RELIGIOUS CHANGES Enlightenment Attacked the
Church Desired deeper religious
experience new religious movement-
Methodism John Wesley.
Preached in fields Gave purpose to lower & middle classes
Praised hard work & religious happiness
SECTION 2 REVIEW
Philosphers, writers, economists, social reformers
Philosophes To let (people) do (what they want) Laissez-faire Rousseau argued that society should be
governed by what? Social contract
SECTION 2 REVIEW
In The Wealth of Nations, ________ gave roles to the government. These roles included protection(army),public works (roads and canals), and defense(the police).
Adam Smith Who believed in: balance of heart and mind,
rule of the general will, and education fostering natural instincts?
Rousseau
SECTION 2 REVIEW
Diderot’s Encyclopedia was used to attack what?
Religious superstition A system of political limits and controls Separation of powers Idea that God lets the universe run by
its own laws deism
SECTION 2 REVIEW
Allows for society to be governed by its general will.
Social contract Montesquieu’s ideas were used in
what? U.S. Constitution
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