Enlightenment. Enlightenment The middle years of the 18 th century characterized by the use of reason and the scientific method. use of reason and the.

EnlightenmentEnlightenment

EnlightenmentEnlightenment

The middle years of the The middle years of the 1818thth century century

characterized by thecharacterized by the

use of reason and the use of reason and the scientific method.scientific method.

Age of EnlightenmentAge of Enlightenment

• Brought together ideas of Brought together ideas of Renaissance and Scientific RevolutionRenaissance and Scientific Revolution– Spirit of curiosity and questioning of Spirit of curiosity and questioning of

accepted ideas of the Age of Faithaccepted ideas of the Age of Faith– Scientific Method – a logical procedure for Scientific Method – a logical procedure for

gathering information and testing ideasgathering information and testing ideas– Revolutionized the way we thinkRevolutionized the way we think– Use of ReasonUse of Reason

ReasonReason

The absence ofThe absence ofintolerance,intolerance,bigotry and bigotry and prejudice inprejudice in

one’s thinking.one’s thinking.

Isaac NewtonIsaac Newton

• Last great figure of Scientific Last great figure of Scientific Revolution or first great Revolution or first great figure of the Enlightenmentfigure of the Enlightenment

• Used reason to explain the Used reason to explain the laws governing naturelaws governing nature

• Thought all physical objects were Thought all physical objects were affected equally by the same forceaffected equally by the same force

• Published theories in Published theories in Mathematical Mathematical Principles of Natural PhilosophyPrinciples of Natural Philosophy - - PrincipiaPrincipia

EnlightenmentEnlightenment

• People began to look for laws People began to look for laws governing human behaviorgoverning human behavior

• Hoped to apply reason and scientific Hoped to apply reason and scientific method to all aspects of society – method to all aspects of society – religion, government, economics, religion, government, economics, educationeducation

• Enlightenment or Age of Reason – at Enlightenment or Age of Reason – at its height in mid 1700s; began with its height in mid 1700s; began with English political thinkers in mid 1600s.English political thinkers in mid 1600s.

Thomas HobbesThomas Hobbes

• Thought conflict was part Thought conflict was part of human natureof human nature

• Saw people as naturally Saw people as naturally selfish and violentselfish and violent

• Wrote Wrote LeviathanLeviathan – people give up – people give up rights to a strong ruler to escape rights to a strong ruler to escape conflictconflict

• Felt absolute monarch was needed to Felt absolute monarch was needed to keep citizens under controlkeep citizens under control

Hobbes - LeviathanHobbes - Leviathan

John LockeJohn Locke

• People not born good or evil People not born good or evil but are shape by their but are shape by their experiencesexperiences

• Can learn and improveCan learn and improve

• All people born free with 3 natural All people born free with 3 natural rights – life, liberty and propertyrights – life, liberty and property

• Purpose of government – to protect Purpose of government – to protect rightsrights

John Locke continuedJohn Locke continued

• If government fails to protect rights, If government fails to protect rights, citizens have the right to overthrow it.citizens have the right to overthrow it.

• Idea that a government’s power comes Idea that a government’s power comes from the consent of the people – from the consent of the people – foundation of modern democracyfoundation of modern democracy

• Inspired struggles for liberty in Europe Inspired struggles for liberty in Europe and the Americasand the Americas

EnlightenmentEnlightenment

• Height – 1700’s in France; Height – 1700’s in France; Paris became meeting place Paris became meeting place for great thinkers for great thinkers

• Social Critics – Philosophes (French word Social Critics – Philosophes (French word for philosopher) – a group of thinkers who for philosopher) – a group of thinkers who set forth the idea that people could apply set forth the idea that people could apply reason to all aspects of lifereason to all aspects of life

• Opposed the traditions of absolute Opposed the traditions of absolute monarchy and divine right; objected to monarchy and divine right; objected to special privileges of nobility and clergy; special privileges of nobility and clergy; turned away from traditional religious turned away from traditional religious beliefsbeliefs

Voltaire – Voltaire – aka aka Francois Marie Francois Marie ArouetArouet

• Became spokesperson of the Became spokesperson of the EnlightenmentEnlightenment

• Most brilliant and influential Most brilliant and influential of philosophesof philosophes

• Published more than 70 books Published more than 70 books of political essays, philosophy, of political essays, philosophy, history and dramahistory and drama

• Used satire and humor against Used satire and humor against opponents opponents

• Sent to prison twice for insulting noblesSent to prison twice for insulting nobles

VoltaireVoltaire

• Exiled to EnglandExiled to England

• Admired governmentAdmired government

• Fought for tolerance, reason and Fought for tolerance, reason and limited governmentlimited government

• Champion of Free SpeechChampion of Free Speech

• ““I do not agree with a word you say I do not agree with a word you say but I will defend to the death your but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”right to say it.”

Baron de MontesquieuBaron de Montesquieu

• French noblemanFrench nobleman

• Devoted to study of political libertyDevoted to study of political liberty

• Admired English system of governmentAdmired English system of government

• On the Spirit of LawsOn the Spirit of Laws – outlines practices – outlines practices that he believed would protect people’s that he believed would protect people’s rights and lead to good governmentrights and lead to good government

Baron de MontesquieuBaron de Montesquieu

• Urged separation of power – division Urged separation of power – division of authority among different of authority among different branches of governmentbranches of government– Legislative – make the lawsLegislative – make the laws– Executive – carry out the lawsExecutive – carry out the laws– Judicial – interpret the lawsJudicial – interpret the laws

• Would keep any individual or group Would keep any individual or group from gaining total control of the from gaining total control of the government – would safeguard the government – would safeguard the liberty of peopleliberty of people

Separation of PowerSeparation of Power

• Checks Checks and and balancesbalances

Jean Jacques RousseauJean Jacques Rousseau

• Disagreed with other Enlightenment Disagreed with other Enlightenment thinkers who were concerned with thinkers who were concerned with individual rightsindividual rights

• General Will – rule of majority is supremeGeneral Will – rule of majority is supreme• ““natural man v. noble savagenatural man v. noble savage

– Natural man – lives outdoors in harmony with Natural man – lives outdoors in harmony with nature; is better offnature; is better off

– Noble savage – people who live in civilized Noble savage – people who live in civilized society are unhappy, insecure, selfishsociety are unhappy, insecure, selfish

• ““Man is born free, yet everywhere he is in Man is born free, yet everywhere he is in chains.”chains.”

Jean Jacques RousseauJean Jacques Rousseau

• The Social ContractThe Social Contract (1762) (1762)– Proposed ideal society based on a new Proposed ideal society based on a new

kind of social contract; people did not give kind of social contract; people did not give a ruler or representative the power to a ruler or representative the power to make laws – instead would have a form of make laws – instead would have a form of direct democracy where each member of direct democracy where each member of the community would vote on issues and the community would vote on issues and the will of the majority would become law.the will of the majority would become law.

• Popular Sovereignty – only legitimate Popular Sovereignty – only legitimate government was one that ruled with government was one that ruled with the consent of the peoplethe consent of the people

MercantilismMercantilism

• Economic Policy of 17Economic Policy of 17thth century century

Power = WealthPower = Wealth

Wealth = Gold, SilverWealth = Gold, Silver

To increase power: increase wealthTo increase power: increase wealth

How?How?

MercantilismMercantilismExport more than importExport more than importExportsExports – goods leaving country – goods leaving country

ImportsImports – goods coming into country – goods coming into country

Difference paid in gold, silverDifference paid in gold, silver

How do you assure this?How do you assure this?TariffsTariffs – tax on imports – tax on imports

SubsidiesSubsidies – government pays a part of – government pays a part of the cost of production of domestic the cost of production of domestic

productsproducts

Lot of government interventionLot of government intervention

Adam Smith Adam Smith

• Scottish professorScottish professor

• Champion of economic libertyChampion of economic liberty

• Wealth of NationsWealth of Nations – defended idea of – defended idea of a free economya free economy

• Believed government should not Believed government should not interfere with business – called interfere with business – called laissez fairelaissez faire (French for leave alone) (French for leave alone)

Adam SmithAdam Smith• 3 natural laws of economics3 natural laws of economics

– Law of Self Interest – people act for Law of Self Interest – people act for selfish reasonsselfish reasons

– Law of Competition – forces Law of Competition – forces people to make a better people to make a better productproduct

– Law of Supply and DemandLaw of Supply and Demand•SupplySupply – quantity available – quantity available

for sale for sale

•DemandDemand – quantity that – quantity that people will buypeople will buy

Political ReformsPolitical Reforms• Enlightenment thinkers admired English Enlightenment thinkers admired English

system of gov’t – limited monarchysystem of gov’t – limited monarchy• Most opposed democracyMost opposed democracy• Voltaire – “I hate the idea of Voltaire – “I hate the idea of

government by the masses.” – felt best government by the masses.” – felt best was a monarchy in which the ruler was a monarchy in which the ruler shared the ideas of philosophes and shared the ideas of philosophes and respected people’s rights – respected people’s rights – enlightened enlightened despotsdespots; HRE Joseph II of Austria, ; HRE Joseph II of Austria, Frederick II of Prussia, Catherine the Frederick II of Prussia, Catherine the Great of RussiaGreat of Russia

Spread of IdeasSpread of Ideas

• Royal Society of London (1660) – Royal Society of London (1660) – held lectures on science & other held lectures on science & other topicstopics

• Denis Diderot – Denis Diderot – EncyclopediaEncyclopedia – 28 volume work – collection of 28 volume work – collection of

information on many topics by information on many topics by many philosophes; attacked many philosophes; attacked injustices in society.injustices in society.

Spread of IdeasSpread of Ideas

• Salons – social gathering where Salons – social gathering where writers, philosophers and artists met writers, philosophers and artists met regularly; usually sponsored by regularly; usually sponsored by wealthy womenwealthy women

Madame Geoffrin

The Spread of IdeasThe Spread of Ideas

• Admiration for order and reason Admiration for order and reason reflected in artsreflected in arts– Baroque – style of 16Baroque – style of 16thth and 17 and 17th th

centurycentury•Grand, ornateGrand, ornate

– Classical – borrowed from Greeks, Classical – borrowed from Greeks, RomansRomans•Emphasis on order and balanceEmphasis on order and balance•Great musical figures – Haydn, Mozart, Great musical figures – Haydn, Mozart,

Beethoven Beethoven