Big Idea: The Enlightenment changed the ideas of government

17.2 THE ENLIGHTENMENT

PATH & SPREAD OF ENLIGHTENMENT IDEAS

Enlightenment: 18th cen. philosophical movement

Philosophe (philosopher) –most were French

Meet in Salons (elegant drawing Rooms)

Focused on reason: applying scientific methods to understanding & bettering life

Middle class literacy rises–printing press Magazines Newspapers

POLITICAL THOUGHT Thomas Hobbes (English) page

476: Alarmed by revolutions Wrote Leviathan

before organized society people were nasty, brutish & focused on survival

Solution -Social contact Establish absolute ruler

preserve order

THE SOCIAL CONTRACT Jean Jacques Rousseau (French Philosopher)

Government people adopted laws & gov to protect private property.

social contract- society agrees to be governed by general will (what society feels is best.)

those who don’t are forced to Education

Foster natural instincts Sought balance btw heart & mind Women-wives & mothers

JOHN LOCKE: (ENGLISH) PAGES 477 & 546

Wrote Two Treatises of Gov.

Against absolute rule

Natural rights (life, liberty, property)

Gov’s. purpose -protect natural rights-if

not people can rebel.- (ex: American Rev).

Influenced Enlightenment

Everyone born with tabula rasa(blank mind)

molded/influenced by environment

Change environment- change people.

MONTESQUIEU (FRENCH NOBLE)

Wrote Spirit of Laws 3 kinds of gov: 1. Republic -small states 2. Despotism -large states 3. Monarchies -moderate size states Identified 3 branches of Gov & sep. of powers

(checks & balances) –(Ex: England) Executive (king), legislative (parliament), the judicial (courts)

influence U.S. Constitution.

ISAAC NEWTON’S ENLIGHTENMENT INFLUENCE

World machine concept-world followed natural laws understood by systematic investigation.

Used scientific method to discover society’s natural laws= better society

Voltaire (French philosopher) Criticized Catholic Church - religious

intolerance Followed world machine concept

added deism mechanic (God) created universe (clock) & set it in motion to run without his interference

DIDEROT (FRENCH PHILOSOPHER ) (1713-1784)

wrote the Encyclopedia –collection of knowledge Attacked old views

religious superstition Supported religious toleration

NEW SOCIAL SCIENCES ECONOMICS

Adam Smith (Scottish philosopher) Wrote Wealth of Nations

Used natural laws to explain economics.

individuals pursue own economic self interest

No gov involvement (Laissez Faire)

3 roles of gov 1. Protection2. Defend from

injustice 3. Maintain public

works 

ENLIGHTENMENT CRIMINAL JUSTICE

17th cen punishments were cruel- deter crime (weak police forces)

Enlightenment Views Cesare Beccaria (French Philosopher)

Punishment shouldn’t match the crime – not extreme

against capital punishment.

 

WOMEN’S RIGHTS

Mary Wollstonecraft against obeying men

Compared it to monarchs absolute rule over subjects, was wrong.

All humans have reason women have reason & are entitled to equal rights

ENLIGHTENMENT RELIGIOUS CHANGES Enlightenment Attacked the

Church Desired deeper religious

experience new religious movement-

Methodism John Wesley.

Preached in fields Gave purpose to lower & middle classes

Praised hard work & religious happiness

SECTION 2 REVIEW

Philosphers, writers, economists, social reformers

Philosophes To let (people) do (what they want) Laissez-faire Rousseau argued that society should be

governed by what? Social contract

SECTION 2 REVIEW

In The Wealth of Nations, ________ gave roles to the government. These roles included protection(army),public works (roads and canals), and defense(the police).

Adam Smith Who believed in: balance of heart and mind,

rule of the general will, and education fostering natural instincts?

Rousseau

SECTION 2 REVIEW

Diderot’s Encyclopedia was used to attack what?

Religious superstition A system of political limits and controls Separation of powers Idea that God lets the universe run by

its own laws deism

SECTION 2 REVIEW

Allows for society to be governed by its general will.

Social contract Montesquieu’s ideas were used in

what? U.S. Constitution