The Enlightenment
Chapter 5 Section II
Age of Reason
• Scientific Revolution convinced people to think
about and use the power of Reason
• Enlightenment: A time of optimism and
possibility from the late 1600’s to the late 1700’s;
Also called the age of reason
• Debates, publications, reason spread like rapidly
throughout society
• Women began hosting Salons: Gatherings in
which intellectual and political ideas were
exchanged.
New views of government
• Thomas Hobbes
– Author of Leviathan
– Violence of English Civil War convinced Hobbes
people are evil, selfish and greedy
– In natural state, people would lead lives that were
“solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short”
– Government needed to improve order
• Social Contract: People should agree to give up/ sacrifice
freedoms to a strong government/leader in exchange for
peace, safety and order
– Absolute Monarchy best because he has the power of
Leviathan (Sea Monster)
John Locke
• Believed people were naturally tolerant,
reasonable
– People born equal with natural rights
• Life, liberty, property
• Governments job to protect people’s natural
rights
• Citizens have right to overthrow government,
if government fails to protect natural rights
– Foundation for modern democracy
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
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French
Believed people basically born good.
Society corrupts people
Author of Social Contract
– “Man is born free but every where is in chains”
• Government should work for the benefit of the
common good, not the few wealthy
• People should give up some freedoms for the benefit
of the community as a whole
• Despised inequality in society
– All should be recognized as equal
Baron de Montesquieu
• French
• Best form of government included a
separation of powers
• Separation/dividing powers would prevent
any individual/group from abusing powers
• 1748 published The Spirit of the Laws
– Admiration for Great Britain's government
• Powers divided into 3 branches
– Misrepresentation of Britain's government
New Views on Society
• Issues in society: Religious toleration,
women’s rights, economic systems
• Voltaire
– Pen name for French philosopher Francois Marie
Arouet
– Acted injustice whenever he could
– Imprisoned twice. Exiled from England for 2 years
Diderot and the Encyclopedia
• Expansion of human knowledge Denis Diderot
wrote a 28 volume encyclopedia
– Took 27 years. Finished publication in 1722
– Criticized the church, government and legal
system
– French government tried to stop publication in but
failed
Mary Wollstonecraft
• In society women’s proper roles were wives
and mothers
– Only received education to prepare them for
these roles
• Mary rejected these views
– Demanded equal rights for women education
– 1792 published Vindication of the Rights of
Women
• Men= women in education also in society
Adam Smith
• Economist
• 1776 published The Wealth of Nations
– Business activities should take place in free
market
• Strong believer in laissez-faire
– Economic system that worked without
government regulations
• Stronger economy if market supply and
demand worked freely
Enlightenment Ideas Spread
• Prussia
– Frederick II believed his duty was to rule with
absolute power in order to build Prussia’s strength
• Strongly influenced by Voltaire
– Tried to establish elementary education
– Abolished torture and supported most religions
• No tolerance for Jews
– Wanted to limited the number of Jews living in Prussia
– Reduced censorship
Russia
• Catherine II wanted order and justice
– Supported Voltaire and Diderot
• Drafter Russian Constitution and a Code of
Laws
– Too Liberal
• Wanted to free serfs but realized needed
support of landowners
• Became a tyrant