The Enlightenment Thinkers and the Government

Changing Ideas Ideas of progress and the ability of people to change things for the better were first introduced by a group of intellectuals in France who became known as the philosophes. These men and women were part the Age of Enlightenment, and they helped form a new way of thinking about the world.

Philosophes contribute to the Age of Enlightenment? Philosophes would meet to discuss society, politics, history, and solutions to social problems They wrote and published their opinions Some wrote plays, novels, and operas to show the public their ideas

Time On Their Hands Most philosophes and their supporters were well off fashionable people They had time to sit in cafes, reading newspapers and discussing ideas of politics, science, and religion

John Locke Contributes To The Enlightenment English philosopher who created a new branch of philosophy known as empiricism You could not know anything unless you experienced it yourself the notion that the monarchy was ordained by God required faith as it could not be proven

Voltaire Believed that reason and logic would always work out better than religious faith expressed the values of disadvantaged and overlooked groups. women’s worth, and how wrong colonialism and slavery were Tried to stop injustice and religious persecution Thought kings should rule countries

Jean­Jacques Rousseau Thought that people were naturally born good. saw government as a "social contract“ with the people, where they all agreed to live by certain rules so they could get along better. Worried that people might make bad decisions, and they needed wise men to write their constitutions for them Thought that women should only keep house and take care of children.

Montesquieu The best form of government was one elected by the people was He thought it most important to create 3 separate branches of government with equal but different powers. each branch limits the power of the other two branches so that no government could threaten the freedom of the people. He did not feel that all people were equal. approved of slavery women were weaker than men and that they had to obey the commands of their husband

Influence ideas of revolution in France The Ideas of the Philosophes influenced everyone including the bourgeoisie and the nobility Even the King learned how to make clocks and build walls due to Rousseau’s suggestion that everyone learn a trade Idea of the Social Contract had a major impact on the revolution