The Enlightenment
and European
monarchies
18th century
HIST 1615 EN
FEBRUARY 5, 2020
Outline
Governance systems in Europe
◦ France
◦ England
◦ Russia
The Enlightenment
◦ Defining Enlightenment thought
◦ Diffusion of ideas
◦ Reac>on of ins>tu>ons
Review for Test # 3
QuesIons
What governance systems are established in Europe?
How was Russia transformed into an empire?
What are key elements of Enlightenment thought?
What are their impact?
How were ideas transmiGed?
What were the rela>ons between philosophers and the governmental
and religious ins>tu>ons?
IntroducIon
18th c.:
◦ Con>nui>es witht the 17th c.
◦ Ruptures
◦ Spirit of freedom
◦ Revolu>ons:
◦ Eonomic
◦ Demographic
◦ Poli>cal
◦ Intellectual
Towards modernity
European
governance
systems
Two systems
Absolute monarchy
Parliamentary monarchy
Absolute Monarchy
Sovereign power of the state
◦ Tudor England, Spain, France, England
Central control b/c of nego>a>ons
Louis XIV’s France
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King-sun
Symbol of authority
Unifica>on & centralisa>on of the government
Head of the Catholic Church in France
◦ The problem of the Reforma>on
ConsItuIonalism
From absolute monarchy
To Civil War (1642-1647 & 1648-1649)
◦ Charles Ist
◦ Demand for a cons>tu>onal monarchy
Oliver Cromwell & the Republic (1649-1659)
Monarchy reinstated 1660 (Stuart dynasty)
Bill of Rights, 1689
Parliamentary monarchy
House of Commons
House of Lords
Russia
What mo>vated the crea>on of this empire?
◦ 1500-1800:
◦ From Moscow to the Pacific Ocean
◦ Security & fur
◦ Westward
◦ Objec>ves of this expansion
Russia
How did the Russian state come to dominate its empire?
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Allegiance
Diseases
Chris>anisa>on
Colonisa>on
Assimila>on
Diversity
Triumph of agricultural socie>es
Modernisa>on
◦ Peter the Great
◦ Catherine II
The
Enlightenment
Defining the Enlightenment
Dissemina>ng knowledge
Belief in progress
Reasoning
Defining the Enlightenment
A menace but not a an uprising
◦ Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz
◦ Leibniz « pre-established harmony »
◦ Voltaire, Candide
Defining the Enlightenment
Dissidents
◦ Desire for reforms
Messages directed towards an enlightened and rich audience
◦ E.g.: Encyclopedia- Diderot
But: fundamental pillars ques>oned
◦ Hence: subversion
◦ Consequences
Diderot
Key ideas
Against:
-religious intolerance
-Absolu>sm
-Privileges
-Arbitrary decisions, supers>>on, obscuran>sm
For:
-Freedom
-equality
-Rule of law
-Individuality
-Reason
-Progress
ReacIons
The Catholic Church
Enlightened despo>sm
Or a parliamentary monarchy
Montesquieu
Conclusion
Short term consequences
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End of the old regime
Declara>on of independance of the USA
French Revolu>on
Rule of law
Test # 3