The Enlightenment

1
The Enlightenment
2
2 Questions

• 1) Is man good or is man evil? Explain, give
  examples
• Do not say both
• 2) Attempt to explain this quote
• Man is born free but everywhere else he is in
  chains

3
Enlightenment

• just after Scientific Revolution
• People begin to reevaluate aspects of society
• Economics
• Religion
• Education
• Government

4
Enlightenment Definition

• Enlightenment (mid 1700s) - an intellectual
  movement that stressed reason and thought and the
  power of individuals to solve problems.
• Also known as Age of Reason

5
Two Views on Government

• Thomas Hobbes- Leviathan 1651
• John Locke- Two Treatises on Government

Hobbes
Locke
6
Hobbes

• Believed all humans were naturally selfish and
  wicked
• Had witnessed this during English Civil War
• Without government, man would be in consistent
  war with one another leading to solitary, poor,
  short lives

7
Hobbes

• In order to escape this, people must enter into
  a SOCIAL CONTRACT with a ruler in exchange for
  law and order.
• This would allow people not to act on own self
  interest and give ruler total power.
• In your own words, what does this mean?

8
John Locke- Natural Rights

• Believed people could learn from experience and
  were reasonable
• Believed people were naturally good and could
  govern themselves
• Against an absolute monarchy
• Believed in NATURAL RIGHTS
• Life, Liberty, and Property
• Where have you seen this before?

9
Locke

• Believed a governments purpose is to protect
  these rights and if a government does not, the
  people have the right to overthrow it
• Rule by popular consent

Basically if a government does not do what you
want it to do, you have the right to get rid of
it.
10
Other Enlightenment Philosophers

• Voltaire consistently fought for tolerance and
  freedoms through essays, books, and philosophy
• I may not agree with a word you say, but I will
  defend to the death your right to say it.

11
Other Philosophers

• Montesquieu Separation of Powers

12
Montesquieu

• 3 branches of government
• Separation of powers
• Checks and balances

13
Montesquieu Continued..

• French writer whom believed England had best
  government because power was spread among King
  and ParliamentProposed that the best way to keep
  a government from becoming too powerful was to
  make sure each side never had enoughNeed each
  other- Checks and Balances

14
Other Philosophers

• Rousseau he believed the best government was
  that formed by free people.
• direct democracy
• People give up freedoms for common good
• Man is born free, everywhere he is in chains

15
A change for Women

• Prior belief Education for women was to help
  them be helpful wives and mothers
• Men dominated marriage
• Mary Wollstonecraft
• Used reason to make point that women should be
  equal
• Education will help them become equal
• Criticized equality of marriage
• If all men are born free, then are all women born
  slaves?

16
So what is so important about the Enlightenment?
17
So what is so important about the Enlightenment?

• Created a greater reliance on logic and reason to
  solve problems as opposed to traditional views
• People began to not only question government, but
  religion more freely
• Rise of individualism- people began to use own
  reason to determine right and wrong.
• Also our role in society
• Governmental ideas influenced new nations and
  current nations to reconsider government that
  ruled them

18
Enlightened Despots

• Monarchs who tried to use Enlightenment ideas
• Still wanted absolute power but tried to please
  the people

19
Fredrick the Great

• King of Prussia
• Religious freedom
• Reduced censorship
• Reformed justice system

20
Catherine the Great

• Czarina of Russia
• Land reform
• Improved education
• Expanded the empire
• Many of her ideas never actually happened

21
Joseph II of Austria

• Son of Maria Theresa
• Ended Serfdom
• Ended censorship
• Fixed taxes