Download The Age of Reason Enlightenment thinkers were known as

The Age of Reason
Enlightenment thinkers were
known as philosophes
Believed in supremacy of
human reason
Logic and Reason
Challenged Royal and Church
Authority
End of the “Old Regime”
The achievements of the scientific revolution
reveal the ability of the human mind to penetrate
the secrets of the physical universe
The thinkers of the enlightenment sought to
discover NATURAL LAWS “laws that govern
human nature”.
The Enlightenment began in Paris
It was divided into three phases
First, reflects a significant influence from the
scientific revolution.
Second, the High Enlightenment begins with
Montesquieu and ends with the death of
Voltaire and Rousseau.
The third phase, called the late enlightenment,
shifts emphasis from human reason to emotion.
Discussed new concepts of economy by Adam
Smith
VOLTAIRE
Enlightened thinkers espoused views
that challenged basic educational,
historical and governmental tenets
Leading thinkers were French, more
like critics of the old regime.
Felt people should be ruled by laws
not by, rulers.
Human progress was constrained by social and
political institutions
If we could find laws to govern the physical
world, why not use reason to discover natural
laws.
Laws that govern human nature
The enlightenment is where we get the ideas:
People should be ruled by laws
Separation of powers
Rulers need to take care of the people
In 1600’s the English Civil War gave
enlightened thinkers much to discuss
During this period two English Philosophers
John Locke and Thomas Hobbes set forth
Ideas that are key to the enlightenment
Living in England afforded them to see very
different thoughts about man and nature
And the purpose and nature of government.
• English Political
Thinker
• Believed that all
people are
essentially selfish
• People are only
motivated by their
own desires
• Without
Government
society is in a
constant state of
war
• Everyone must
give up their rights
to a government
Hobbes witnesses Civil Wars
of 1640’s
Hobbes wanted to support
the royal cause, BUT not on
mystical grounds.
Man is driven by desire and
constrained by reason.
The absence of power to
overawe them creates a
situation of every man vs.
every man.
Believed that people were naturally cruel,
mean and selfish.
If people were not strictly controlled they
would rob fight and oppress each other.
Life is a state of nature
Life without laws or controls
People enter into a social contract or
agreement by which they gave up their state
of nature for an organized society.
The only help for this problem, of the state of nature, is the idea of
enlightened self-preservation.
A social contract by which people turn over all power to the central
government
Hobbes did not want tyranny, but a moderate kingship with lots of
individual latitude.
Thomas Hobbes writes a book called “Leviathan”
In this Hobbes maintained the sovereignty is ultimately derived from the
people who transfer it to the monarchy by implicit contract.
The power of the Ruler is absolute BUT, kings do not hold their power
by divine right.
He continues to say that “only a powerful government could ensure an
orderly society.
Such a government could impose order and obedience.
Felt that men would obey the laws only as long
as they felt protected.
Hobbes justifies absolute power while
dispelling the idea on divine right.
 English Political
Thinker
 Believed people
are born:
 Free
 Equal
 Good
 Optimistic View of
the Nature of Man
 In a State of Nature
man is in a State of
War
 Natural Rights:
Life
Liberty
Property
ONE OF THE MOST WIDELY READ OF THE ENLIGHTENED
THINKERS
LOCKE DEFENDED THE GLORIOUS REVOLUTION.
LOCKE ARGUE’S THAT EVERY HUMAN BEING’S MIND IS A
BLANK PAGE, AND ALL KNOWLEDGE COMES FROM
EXPERIENCE.
LOCKE DID NOT BELIEVE IN THE VIEW THAT PEOPLE
WERE BORN WITH THE TENDENCY TO SUBMIT TO
AUTHORITY
LOCKE PUBLISHES HIS IDEAS ON POLITICAL THOUGHT IN
1690. IT IS CALLED “TWO TREATISES OF GOVERNMENT”
IT REFLECTS THE NEW POLITICAL CONDITIONS
CONFRONTING THE ENGLISH IN THE 1660’S
LOCKE WAS MORE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE
POSSIBILITIES OF MANKIND THAN HOBBES.
HE STILL HAD RESERVATIONS
HE WROTE ABOUT A STATE OF NATURE THAT
MIGHT BE PEACEFUL BUT, WITHOUT
IMPARTIAL JUDGES AND WITH THE THREAT
OF CONSTANT WARFARE THE STATE OF
NATURE WAS AT LEAST INCONVENIENT AND
WORST A DISASTER
LOCKE STATED THAT PEOPLE COME TOGETHER IN A SOCIAL
CONTRACT
BY MUTUAL CONSENT THEY CREATE A GOVERNMENT TO PROTECT
THEIR NATURAL RIGHTS TO LIFE, LIBERTY, AND PROPERTY.
THE AUTHORITY OF THE GOVERNMENT IS DERIVED FROM THE
CONSENT OF THE GOVERNED.
WHEN A GOVERNMENT
FAILS TO PROTECT THE
PEOPLE’S NATURAL
RIGHTS AND INSTEAD
INTERFERE’S WITH THEM
BY ATTEMPTING TO RULE
ABSOLUTELY, THE PEOPLE
HAVE THE RIGHT TO
REBEL
AS THEY HAD DONE
DURING THE GLORIOUS
REVOLUTION
THE POWER OF THE
GOVERNMENT IS STRICTLY
CONDITIONAL
CENTRAL JOB OF THE
GOVERNMENT IS TO PROTECT
MAN’S PROPERTY
LOCKE FEELS THAT A PERSON
MUST NOT BE DEPRIVED OF
PROPERTY WITHOUT CONSENT
AND MUST LIVE UNDER DUE
PROCESS OF THE LAW
LOCKE SUPPORTED THE
CREATION OF A
CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT
THAT PLACED LIMITS ON A
RULER’S AUTHORITY.
 Role of Government
 To make laws
 To enforce laws
 Laws should:
 Benefit the people
 Protect the Rights of
the people
 If Gov’t fails to perform people have the right to
overthrow it.
 His ideas were
used to create:
 Declaration of
Independence
 US Constitution
 French
Constitution of
1791
 French Aristocrat
 Wanted to establish
a constitutional
Monarchy in France
 Wrote the book The Spirit of the
Laws in 1748
 Separation of Powers
- 3 Branches of Gov’t
 Executive
 Legislative
 Judicial
 Checks and Balances
 each checks the power
of the other
 Power shouldn’t rest
in on person
 Bourgeouis French
 Lived in exile in
Great Britain
 Wrote Letters on
the English
 praised tolerance in
both and religion
 Civil Liberties Ecrasez l’infame
(crush infamy)
 rid of repression,
fanaticism and
bigotry
 Religious Freedom
“I disapprove of
what you say, but I
will defend to the
death your right to
say it.”
Freedom of Speech
Freedom of
Expression
 Lower-class origin
 New theory of
education
 children must
develop naturally
and spontaneously
 learn by direct
experience
 The General Will
 “man is born free, and
everywhere he is in
chains.”
 Social Contract
 people entered into a
social among
themselves
 surrender all their
rights to the community
 General Will
 the will of the majority
 Government is a
necessary evil
 if it does not carry out
the General will the
people can overthrow it
 Popular Sovereignty
 ultimate sovereignty
resides in the people
 Highly Educated
 Editor of The
Encyclopedia
virtually all
important French
philosophes
contributed
 Articles attacked
Old Regime
abuses
religious
intolerance
unjust taxation
governmental
absolutism
 Father of Modern
Economics
 Believed in Capitalism
 The Invisible Hand
 Competition will
regulate the economy
 laissez-faire policy
 No Government
intervention
 Hands-off
 Women played an
important role
 Rich women held
gatherings in their
drawing rooms, or
salons
 Writers, musicians,
painters, and
philosophes
exchanged ideas