The Enlightenment in
Europe 1687-1789
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0B28
_gwj0M
Causes
 Religious
Fanaticism
 Witch trials
 Beginning of a merchant class—aka
bourgeoisie
 Landed Aristocracy
 Monarchies
 Church & State united
 Church = Truth
Effects
Deism—”natural law”
 Rise of merchant class—aka bourgeoisie
 Science/Logic/Reason = Truth
 Rise of philosophers
 Revolution x 3
 The “perfect” society
 Separation of Church & State
 Democracy
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InfoGraphgic- Social Networking in 18th Century
The Enlightenment
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Application of the scientific method
to social problems
Parallel to the scientific awakening
Rid world of ignorance and
superstition
Foundation of Classical art and music
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The world behaves according to
patterns and these ought to be obeyed
The Age of Reason: PROGRESS
For the first time, we see an optimistic
view that humans can use reason to create
a new and better world than had existed
before.
Science- there was a clear break from the
past traditions and a belief that the best
was yet to come, that scientific progress
was possible.
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The Enlightenment in Europe
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Enlightenment- Also known as Age of
Reason new intellectual movement that
stressed reason and thought and the power
of individuals to solve problems.
New insight into beliefs regarding
government, religion, economics, and
education.
Philosophes (philosophers) – social critics
who applied reason to all aspects of life.
Enlightenment changed how
people viewed government
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Old Idea: A monarch’s rule is
justified by divine right (God)
New Idea: A government’s power
comes from the consent of the
governed.
Deism
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Deism involves the belief in the existence of
God, on purely rational grounds, without any
reliance on revealed religion or religious
authority.
Thomas Hobbes
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All humans were naturally selfish and
wicked, therefore governments must keep
order.
Ppl should hand over their rights to a
strong ruler. Hobbes called social contract.
Strong ruler should have total power (an
absolute monarchy).
This powerful government with awesome
power is what he called a leviathan (sea
monster) therefore he titled his book
Leviathan (1651).
John Locke
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Held different, more positive view of
human nature. People could learn from
experience and improve themselves.
People are reasonable and have ability to
govern own affairs, and look after welfare
of society.
Favored self-government criticized
absolute monarchy.
John Locke
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People were reasonable (though still
selfish) and had the natural rights to life,
liberty, and property. All people born free
and equal.
Purpose of government is to protect these
natural rights.; people can overtrhow gov
Government power comes from the
consent of the people.
"The legislative power is put into the hands of
diverse persons who duly assembled, have by
themselves, or jointly with others, a power to
make laws, which when they have done, being
separated again, they are themselves subject to
the laws, they have made; ... but because the
laws, that are at once, and in a short time made,
have a constant and lasting force, and need a
perpetual execution, or an attendance thereunto:
therefore 'tis necessary there should be a power
always in being, which should see to the
execution of the laws that are made, and remain
in force. And thus the legislative and executive
power come often to be separated."
– John Locke, Two Treatises of Government
How Enligthenment Began
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Paris-people discussed politics and ideas.
Five concepts of philosophers in 1700’s
1. Reason- truth could be discovered by
reason or logical thinking.
 2. Nature-Natural was food and
reasonable.
 3. Happiness-seek well being on Earth.
 4. Progress-Society and humankind
could improve.
 5. Liberty- Liberties won in Bill of Rights
and Glorious Revolution
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Voltaire
Wrote more than 70 books of
political essays, philosophy, and drama.
 Used satire against his enemies, especially
the clergy.
 Beliefs:
 Tolerance, Reason, Freedom of religious
belief, Freedom of speech
 Sent to prison twice. Exiled to England for
more than two years.
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“The individual who persecutes
another because he is not of the
same opinion is nothing less
than a monster.”
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Voltaire
“I do not agree with a word you
say, but I will defend to the
death your right to say it.”
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Voltaire
Montesqieu
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Believed Britain was the best-governed
and most politically balanced country of
his own day.
Proposed the “separation of powers”
between executive, legislative, and
judicial branches of government.
Proposed “checks and balances.”
King and executives-executive
Parliament-legislative Judges-judicial
power.
Rousseau
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Passionately committed to individual freedom.
Believed man was born free and good but easily
corrupted.
Direct democracy best gov determined by will of
society.
Give up freedom for common good.
All people equal, all titles of nobility should be
abolished. (his ideas inspired Fr. Revolution.
“Man is born free, yet
everywhere he is in chains.”
 Rousseau
"The English people believe itself to
be free; it is gravely mistaken; it is
only free during election of members
of parliament; as soon as members
are elected, the people are enslaved;
it is nothing. In the brief moment of
its freedom, the English people
makes such a use of that freedom
that it deserves to lose it."
– Rousseau
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Even the untidiness of natural hair disturbed
Enlightenment society. Thus, the tradition of
the perfectly coiffed wig appears in the age of
Washington and Jefferson and Marie
Antoinette. Powdered porcelain make-up and
other cosmetics become fashionable and
artificial “beauty” patches (bits of black cloth
with adhesive) are used to create artificial
moles or freckles (or to hide natural ones.)
Cesare Bonesana Beccaria
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Laws existed to promote social order, into
to avenge crimes.
Criticized abuses of justice (torturing
witnesses, cruel punishment
Person accused of crimes speedy trial and
torture should never be used.
Degree of punishment based on
seriousness of crime. Capital punishment
should be abolished.
Women in the Enlightenment
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Women writers try to improve status of
women.
Lack of education and opportunities for
women.
In Paris, women held large social
gatherings called salons to discuss ideas.
Used Enlightenment arguments to citizen
unequal relationship.
Mary Wollstonecraft
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Women should be equally educated along
with men.
Women should enter professions traditionally
dominated by men like medicine and politics.
Mary Wollstonecraft women, like men need
education to become virtuous and useful.
Women need to enter politics and medicine.
Mary’s daughter Wrote classic novel
Frankenstein.
Denis Diderot
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Encyclopedia
 Teach people how to think critically
 Solicited articles from many
experts
 Controversial articles brought
criticism
 Overall, moved forward the ideas
of Enlightenment
Legacy of the Enlightenment
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Challenged long-held ideas about society.
Found need for reform with gov, church, and
social classes
Urged end to slavery, greater social equality.
More secular (non religious outlook)
Questioning religious beliefs of church.
Individualism- looked to themselves not church
and royalty.
Philosophies views got them in trouble in France
it was illegal to citizen church or gov.
Enlightenment ideas spread in songs,
pamphlets, and newspapers.
"The good of the people must be the
great purpose of government. By
the laws of nature and of reason, the
governors are invested with power to
that end. And the greatest good of
the people is liberty. It is to the
state what health is to the
individual."
- Diderot in L'Encyclopedie: Article on Government, quoted
in Barzun, Jacques, From Dawn to Decadence, Perennial,
2000, p370.
Arts Thrived!
 Johann
Sebastian Bach Germany
and George Fredrich Handel
England (organ and classical
music)
Novels were written
Philosphies convince Monarchs to
rule Justly…
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Enlightened despots supported the ideas of the
philosophes and made enlightenment reforms.
Europe’s most imp Russia.
Fredrick II King of Prussia-1740 to 1786
reformed Prussia granted religious freedom,
improved education, reformed justice system.
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Joseph II Austria-Freedom of Press, legal
reforms, freedom of worship
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Catherine the Great-Russia-religious
intolerance, abolishing torture and capital
punishment.
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Fredrick II King of Prussia-1740 to 1786
reformed Prussia
Enlightened despots included Frederick II
of Prussia, Joseph II of Austria, and
Catherine the Great of granted religious
freedom, improved education, reformed
justice system.
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Philosophers in America
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Paine
Benjamin Franklin
Patrick Henry
George Washington