The Enlightenment in Europe

CHAPTER 6 – SECTION 2

Introduction•Enlightenment – Age of Reason•Applying reason and the scientific method to all aspects of life•Society – Government, Religion, Economics, Education, Business, Thought, etc.•Do we see this in our society now?

Two Views on Government• Hobbes’s Social Contract

• The English Civil War spurred Hobbes’s to conclude that all people are selfish and not nice.

• Saw life as brutal and nasty (glass have empty type of guy

• To overcome such nastiness, people needed to give up their rights to a central authority (absolute monarchy)• Gained law & order• Known as the Social contract where

people created absolute monarchs with their own selfishness.

• Hobbes’s said that absolute monarchs needed to rule like a leviathan (sea monster).

Does this make any sense whatsoever?

• Locke’s Natural Rights• He was a more “glass half-full” type of

dude• People could learn from mistakes and

improve themselves• Do you see both Hobbes’s and Locke’s

theories today? Where? How?• Favored self-government

• Believed in the 3 natural rights• Life• Liberty• Property

• The government’s job was to protect these rights. The government was by and for the people by popular consent.• If government wasn’t for the people,

Locke noted they should be overthrown.• This was a further step towards our

modern-day democracy!!!

Philosophes Advocate Reason• Same thing as philosophers who met in France in the mid-1700s.• They believed they could APPLY reason to life just as scientists

applied reason to science.• The core of their philosophy was based on 5 critical elements

1. Reason-Absence on intolerance, bigotry, bias, or prejudice in one’s thinking to make analytical decisions.

2. Nature-There were laws in science, but also societal laws in economics, behavior, politics, etc.

3. Happiness-A decent life on earth vs. being miserable so you could have joy in heaven.

4. Progress-Society moving forward and perfecting it through technology and science.

5. Liberty-Being free and trusting citizens to make good choices as to not screw it up.

Philosophes - Voltaire• “I disapprove of what you say, but I

will defend to the death your right to say it.” –Voltaire.• What does this statement indicate

about Voltaire’s views on free speech?• How is it similar to beliefs about free

speech in the U.S.

• Voltaire didn’t foster changed with violence, but did it with the swipe of his pen.• Mocked France’s restrictive govt.• Envied England's govt.• Pushed for freedom from the repressive

French govt. and freedom of religion.• Let people choose what’s best for them

instead of an absolute monarch forcing it upon them.

Nooooo! I’m with Voltaire

Montesquieu wants Separation• He was a writer just like Voltaire and used his pen to influence society.• Montesquieu also felt that England had an awesome govt.

• King and his ministers – Carried out laws (Executive Power)• Parliament – Made laws (Legislative Power)• Judges/English Courts - Interpreted laws to determine legality (Judicial

Power)• He called this division, Separation of Powers

• What is the purpose of separation of powers?• To keep any one branch of government from

gaining TOTAL control (Checks and Balances)

Views of Government

Old Idea

• Monarch ruled with Absolute Power

New Idea

• Separation of Govt. Powers among 3 Separate Branches

Jean Jacques Rousseau & Freedom• A very awkward man who didn’t fit in.• So…instead of conforming to society, he challenged it with new

ideas.• According to Rousseau, “People had lived as free and equal

individuals in a primitive ‘state of nature’”.• However, when people became more advanced and civilized people lost

their freedom to unjust laws under an absolute monarchy

• Believed that govt. should be formed by and for the people (Elections – Direct Democracy).• No social contract here!!!

• No contract between people and govt., but free individuals creating a society.

• His, radical at the time ideas, inspired many to embark on the French Revolution that overthrew the monarchy in 1789.

Rousseau’s beliefHad more freedom than… Civilized man

Cesare Bonesana Beccaria & Criminal Justice• Believed laws were to promote social order, not to punish crime• Spoke out against injustices/abuses he had seen.• Torture• Illegitimate trials• Punishments that did not fit the crime, but were more severe

• His argument consisted of:• A speedy trial • No torture• Punishment should fit the crime

Women and the Enlightenment• Mary Wollstonecraft• Published A Vindication of the Rights of Woman in 1792.• Rousseau was pretty cool in his thought process, but he was a

sexist• Wollstonecraft challenged his thoughts

• Women should receive same education as men• Women could be doctors, not just nurses• Women should participate in politics

• Overall, women lobbied for better educational opportunities• Many wealthy women spread enlightenment ideas at salons (social gatherings)

Enlightenment’s Impact• Three long-term effects• Belief in Progress

• If science could solve problems and gain believers, philosophes felt the could solve social problems too.

• Secular Outlook• Promoted tolerance of all religions and rid Christianity of superstitions.• Believed in God, but proved God’s awesomeness through mathematics

and science instead of it being a mystery.

• Importance of Individual• Becoming self-reliant instead of depending on royalty and the church.• Know morals (Difference between right and wrong).