Enlightenment Thinkers & Their Ideas

Enlightenment Thinkers & Their Ideas A revolution in intellectual activity changed Europeans’ view of government and society.

Finish Bug’s Life…Then, take out vocabulary charts and journals…

Enlightenment • Movement where thinkers used the principles (ideas) of reason to all aspects of society • Led to people challenging long-held ideas; Directly led to the American and French Revolution

Separation of powers • Division of power between the branches of government • Important concept in our government (Legislative, Judicial, and Executive)

Social contract • The people and the government have made an agreement together (each have rights and responsibilities) • Led to new forms of democratic governments

Enlightened despot • An absolute leader who believed the new ideas and made reforms that related to the Enlightenment • Led to a new idea of what was a good leader (examples: Frederick the Great and Catherine the Great)

Frederick the great • King of Prussia from 1740-1786, called himself “the first servant of the state”, goal was to serve and strengthen the country • More religious freedom, reduced censorship, improved education, abolish torture

Catherine the great • Ruled Russia from 1762 to 1796; read many of the philosophers’ works; wrote to Voltaire, recommended changes but never passed • Expanded Russia but did little to accomplish reform life for the peasants in Russia.

Checks and balances • Each branch of governments checks the power of the other branches • Decreased the chance of an absolute monarch gaining power; major component of Democracy

Take notes in journal now… stick vocab. chart in journals…

Thomas Hobbes • Saw the English Civil War and because of this he thought people were naturally bad, greedy • If people did not have government, then human life would be “nasty, brutish & short” • Government is necessary • People should create the government (social contract)

John Locke • People are naturally good • Everyone is born with natural rights (life, liberty, and property) • Government’s purpose is protect these rights • If a government fails, then it is the duty or responsibility of the people to overthrow it

Baron de Montesquieu • Admired British government • Called for a division of power (Separation of powers) • Checks and balances between the government will keep the branches from taking too much control

Voltaire • Admired British government • Wanted to reform the church • Pro-freedom of speech • Sought to create enlightened despots • “I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it”

Jean-Jacques Rousseau • Man is good naturally but society makes us evil • We are not born to steal, but are forced to steal because of our environment • If we must have a government, then a democracy is the only acceptable one.

Enlightenment Homework Questions • Which leader’s philosophy do you agree with most? Give two solid reasons for why. • Write down a quote that each of the philosophers might say. • How did the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment lead to conflict? (3-5sentences)

Enlightenment Period 4 and 6

Thomas Hobbes • Wrote Leviathan (1651) • Pessimistic view of people in their natural state • People are bad, greedy, immoral, violent, and lazy • Left alone, human life would be “nasty, brutish, & short” • To avoid this, people must give up their freedom to an absolute ruler and strong government he called “leviathan” after a mystical monster • This voluntary agreement to be ruled by a government he called social contract

John Locke • Two Treatises on Government (1689) • Began writing to support William and Mary’s ascension and the birth of constitutional monarchy in England • Humanity is good and is shaped by its experiences (tabala rasa) • Role of government is to serve people and protect their natural rights (inborn rights to life, liberty, and property) • People give up SOME of their freedoms in the social contract to ensure that others are retained • Governments to failed to protect should be deposed

Baron de Montesquieu • The Spirit of the Laws (1748) • Admired British government’s constitutional monarchy • Thought despotism (aka tyranny) could be avoided if political power were divided and shared by diverse classes • Power must check power, so a government should be broken into parts, each with ability to oversee the others (separation of powers)

Voltaire • Wrote Philosophical Letters on the English(1733) • Enthusiastic supporter of English gov’t and institutions • Mocked the monarchy/church in satire, hoping to reform them, not destroy them • Sought to create enlightened despots • “I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it”

Jean-Jacques Rousseau • Wrote The Social Contract (1762) • Man by nature was solitary, good and free • Any bad is produced by society • Society should reflect the good nature of man through the collected “general will” of people • Government is a necessary evil • People through their “general will” grant some power to the government, but government serves only at the will of the people, for the people • Thus, democracy is the only good government

Mary Wollstonecraft • Wrote A Vindication of the Rights (1792) • Male philosophes during this period contradicted themselves: • Opposed arbitrary power of monarchs but upheld arbitrary power of men over women • Job to be wives and mothers and intellectually inferior • Some women began to show them wrong • Wollstonecraft was well-educated • Writer, founded a school, advocated for women to do what was best for them • Women should be educated because they are the primary teachers in society

Thinking Questions • How was the Scientific Revolution related to the Enlightenment? • How did monarchs react to the ideas of the Enlightenment? • How did the government of the United States reflect Enlightenment ideas?

Enlightenment Thinkers & Their Ideas