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The Enlightenment c. 1650-1750

The Enlightenment c. 1650-1750. Age of Reason. Enlightenment. Philosophers of the time took note of scientific methodology successes using reason to explain natural law. Thought they could do same with human nature.

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The Enlightenment c. 1650-1750

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  1. The Enlightenment c. 1650-1750 Age of Reason

  2. Enlightenment • Philosophers of the time took note of scientific methodology successes using reason to explain natural law. Thought they could do same with human nature. • Government – 2 philosophers would come to dominate the field of political philosophy.

  3. Enlightenment Philosophers • Thomas Hobbes • Believed man was basically bad and needed strong rulers with total power to control them • All citizens were obligated to obey government no matter how unfair • Rebellion would be the gateway to lawless society. • People only act in their own self interest, which is often bad. • Hobbes coined the phrase “Social Contract” in his book “Leviathan”

  4. Enlightenment Philosophers • Social Contract – people gave up certain rights in favor of a strong ruler in order to get law and order (e.g. Hitler) • John Locke • Locke almost the opposite of Hobbes’ viewpoint • People’s behavior is shaped by experiences, not by predestination at birth. • Improvement of bad people possible by learning from negative experiences.

  5. John Locke • Favored self-government which stemmed from 3 natural rights: life, liberty and property (pursuit of happiness) • Government is designed to protect those rights and its failure to do so allows citizens to rebel against it and replace it. • Government’s power comes from the consent of the people!!

  6. The Philosophers • These were social critics of the 18th century, mainly French • They tried to use reason to solve social problems • Believed absolute monarchism and divine right to be immoral • Objected to privileged few (clergy, nobility) and became deists • Deists believe in God but reject organized religion and rituals while only accepting religious teachings explained through scientific understanding. Christ was a teacher, not Son of God. • Many Philosophers were atheists

  7. Philosophers • Jean Jacques Rousseau • Well known philosopher whose book “The Social Contract” proposed an ideal society in which all people used a form of direct democracy, and no ruler. Will of majority would be law. • Like Locke, he believed people to be basically good.

  8. Philosophers • Rousseau • Believed also that arts and sciences corrupted people’s natural goodness • The closer one was to nature, the closer he was to balance and harmony. The Indian or African tribesman was better off than “Civilized Man”.

  9. Philosophers • Baron de Montesquieu • Admired English system of law based on checks on ruler and limited monarchy • In his writings he specified that separation of powers within a government could guarantee citizens’ rights. • Legislative, judicial and executive branches with authorized powers • Separation of powers would prevent any person or group from gaining control of government, thus safeguarding the people’s liberty

  10. American Revolution • Revolution scares most monarchs because it • Threatens them directly • Ruins economy • Upsets status quo • Weakens them politically • As Enlightenment spread its ideas across Europe, some Monarchs embraced reforms which were reflective of their Age of Reason spirit(i.e. Catherine the Great {Russia}, Frederick II {Prussia}

  11. American Revolution • Known as “Enlightened despots” who agreed to less censorship, religious toleration, and improved education • Motivation was to keep revolution at bay and reign secure

  12. American Revolution • Philosophers published ideas widely in Europe criticizing governments, promoting revolution and attacking social injustices • Church believed ideas to be corrupt, undermining proper authority and irreligious • Where their ideas took root was in the American colonies!

  13. American Revolution • (1) Colonies facing crisis after 1763 (French and Indian War ended) as Britain taxed colonies to help pay war debts • Colonists pretty mad about it since they had nothing to say about it • King George III’s government could care less. • Colonists had colonial governments which the crown ignored

  14. American Revolution • (2) Stamp Act (1765) was a tax on all printed material and led to “taxation without representation”, was against English law. • Repealed one year later • (3) Townsend Acts of 1767 again taxed colonists over goods (e.g. glass, lead, paints, paper and tea) • Repealed them 3 years later fearing revolt (except for tea) Boston Tea Party 1773

  15. American Revolution • (4) Intolerable Acts passed by Britain to punish colonies until tea paid for which directly led to first revolt • (5) First shots Lexington and Concord in 1775 made it “point of no return” • (6) Declaration of Independence, 1 year later, used Locke’s theory of natural rights as its basis (written by Jefferson) and stated:

  16. American Revolution • Declaration of Independence stated: • Life, Liberty, and pursuit of happiness • People have right to remove a government which oppresses it • Rights are natural (inalienable) • (7) Revolution spread to southern colonies and fought for next 5 years.

  17. American Revolution • (8) Key battles: Lexington/Concord (opening shots) Saratoga (kept colonies from being split, French aid 1778-turning point) Yorktown (final British surrender) • (9) Colonies now on own, must make new government out of 13 independent states • Articles of Confederation 1st attempt at centralized government but states kept it weak • Had no money, open to attack, no power to enforce laws in states.

  18. American Revolution • (10) U.S. Constitution 1787 made a stronger government along federal lines • Federal means power sharing between central government and states • Montesquieu’s ideas on separation of powers along with English checks and balances used to craft document

  19. American Revolution • (11) Bill of Rights – guaranteed freedoms which reflected Enlightenment ideals of individual freedom

  20. French Revolution • Question: Who is most likely to support a Revolution? • Question: Why would a government threatened by Revolution refuse to meet the Demands for change? • (1) In France, the American Revolution had not gone unnoticed by the common folk • Unhappiness with absolute monarchy and privileged nobility and clergy was starting to mount among the lower classes.

  21. French Revolution • (2) The Old Regime was divided into 3 classes called ESTATES • 1st estate: clergy • 2nd estate: nobility • 3rd estate: all others • First Estate: although clergy were powerful with wealthiest clergy originating among nobility; didn’t pay taxes. Lower clergy resented “non concern” for peasants exhibited by higher clergy

  22. French Revolution • (4) Second Estate: Owned 25% of French land, all high government offices, controlled the armed forces, and many connected to king.

  23. French Revolution • (5) Third Estate: Owned 50% of French land, but their parcels were too small to support families. • Agricultural reforms and distribution of tax burdens on land owners was medieval. Clergy paid no taxes on remaining ¼ of French land. • Taxes: Paid to Government and king and may be as high as 50%. Louis XIV and XV had left enormous debt.

  24. French Revolution • Third Estate Continued: • Bourgeoisie: were the middle class who lived comfortably and were educated, but no political connections. • Liked the idea of reforms coming from Enlightenment thinkers like Montesquieu and Voltaire and Locke. (e.g. Equality and Liberty)

  25. French Revolution • (6) Louis XVI did not see, or was not told, of the resentment and did nothing to become an Enlightened Despot. • Inherited a poor government and couldn’t get nobility and clergy to accept taxes on their land (refused outright) • For first time in 170 yrs. French Monarch calls for a meeting of Estates-General to get approval for a tax plan on 1st and 2nd Estates.

  26. French Revolution • Louis XVI continued: • Estates-General did not meet together (tradition) where 3rd Estate through sheer numbers could prevail. Nobles continued to meet apart from 3rd Estate. • 3rd Estate members demand a constitution for France as a result and got Louis to cave in on this. • National Assembly was convened immediately with all Estates together. Louis sends troops to cover it.

  27. French Revolution • (7) Fearing Louis would change his mind, Paris citizens exploded in the summer of 1789 and stormed a prison fortress: Bastille, which was a symbol of oppression. • Louis recalled the troops, but rebellion spreads to

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