Physiocrats The Enlightenment emphasis on natural laws led a group of thinkers to try to ascertain natural laws underlying human behavior. This became the foundation for the social sciences. Physiocrats laid the foundation for the modern field of economics. Leader was Francois Quesnay. Most important natural law of economics: supply and demand ruled economic behavior. Repudiated Mercantilism; believed that governments should not meddle with the economy so that supply and demand could work. Laissez-faire

Mercantilism: mid-16th century 4-8 Mercantilism: mid-16th century A nation’s wealth depends on accumulated treasure Gold and silver are the currency of trade. Theory says you should have a trade surplus. Maximize exports through subsidies. Minimize imports through tariffs and quotas. Flaw: “zero-sum game”. McGraw-Hill/Irwin © 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., All Rights Reserved.

Adam Smith Wrote The Wealth of Nations. Argued for laissez-faire and said that the government had only three proper functions. to protect against invasion to dispense justice to maintain roads and infrastructure that were beyond the capabilities of individuals. Foundation for economics in the west for 200 years. Major impact on American conservatism.

Adam Smith The emphasis on rationality, the ability of individuals to make decisions to advance their own self-interest. The idea that government should leave people alone to make their own economic choices. In fact, individual selfish choices would serve the common good through the invisible hand of the market.

Locke & Smith on Equality Their view was that people in the state of nature are equal in their rights, but not in their talents or their wealth. Economic inequality is not necessarily unfair, since it is based on people’s free choices. Freedom to make choices is a higher value than equality.

Theory of Absolute Advantage Adam Smith: Wealth of Nations (1776). 4-10 Theory of Absolute Advantage Adam Smith: Wealth of Nations (1776). Capability of one country to produce more of a product with the same amount of input than another country. Produce only goods where you are most efficient, trade for those where you are not efficient. Assumes there is an absolute advantage balance among nations, e.g., Ghana/cocoa. McGraw-Hill/Irwin © 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., All Rights Reserved.

Adam Smith Father of the science of political economy Developed laissez-faire capitalism Three laws to capitalism: self-interest, supply and demand, competition He was a Scottish moral philosopher and a pioneering political economist. He is a major contributor to the modern perception of free market economics. Adam was one of the key figures of the intellectual movement known as the Scottish Enlightenment.

Adam Smith The Wealth of Nations Attack on mercantilism Advocate of free trade Labor constitutes wealth “Passive policeman” Adam Smith (1723-1790) A free economy would produce far more wealth than an economy regulated by government laws. Law of Self Interest People act for selfish reasons They work for their own good not for their neighbors good.Motive is to make a profit. Law of Competition in a free market competition forces people to make a better product. Thus competition among selfish individuals leads naturally to economic progress for all. Law of Supply and Demand. Too much supply and not enough demand, producers have to lower their prices to attract customers may put some out of business Market economy where natural laws were free to operate plenty of goods would be produced at the lowest possible price.Laissez-faire.

The Wealth of Nations (1776) The title tells the theme of the book—why are some nations wealthy and others not First have to define wealth Smith defines wealth as the per capita provision of “necessaries and conveniences” Per capita real output—not species or agricultural surplus What will determine per capita real output?

Trade Policy Smith in favour of free trade Exceptions to free trade - Defense - Import duties where there is a tax on domestic manufacture - Retaliation - Need to introduce free trade gradually Political opposition to free trade from proprietors and merchants

Laissez-Faire Capitalism It is a French phrase that literally means hands-off. It states that the government should not be involved in the economy. It should let the natural laws of capitalism work. This is the way the economy works best. Dominant form of capitalism through the end of the Industrial Revolution.

The System of Natural Liberty If left to themselves individuals will invest in that line of business that gives the best return, and this will be socially efficient The concept of the invisible hand—self interest leading to an unintended social benefit Government should not attempt to allocate resources—or superintend the direction of private business Role of government to protect persons and property and provide public goods

Role of Government National defense - Benefits of a standing army - Navigation acts Justice system - Protection of property - Payment of Judges Public Works - Roads, Bridges, Canals - Tolls and user charges Monopoly trading companies - Limited monopoly grant

Role of Government Education - Primary education - Universities and incentives for good teaching - Religious instruction Taxation - Equality - Certainty - Convenience - Economy of collection

Law of Self-Interest People are motivated by greed. Because they want money and power, they will work hard to earn it. This is what motivates people to start new businesses and why people work at their jobs. It stimulates a strong work ethic, an entrepreneurial spirit, and competition.

Law of Supply and Demand When there is a limited supply of a product, and there is a growing demand, the price of the product will increase. When there is a large supply of a product, and there is a decreasing or little demand, the price of the product will go down. This results in a fair pricing system.

Law of Competition Survival of the fittest in the business world Companies will compete to produce the best product for the best price. The consumer benefits by getting the best deal. However, this also means that some of the businesses will close. It can lead to monopolies.

Women & the Englightenment The men of the Enlightenment did little to improve the status of women, so women writers took it upon themselves to start the change for equality.

Historical Stand on Women and the Enlightenment Although they were able to gain minimum knowledge and make a step towards equal rights, the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment didn’t provide any particular benefits for women during their time.

Reason 1: Opportunities to be Involved were a Minimum Many women during the Enlightenment didn’t have the opportunity to pursue an education in Sciences, and the quality of education they received was degraded from what it used to be. Why? ---- They were to believed to be ignorant, and not capable of understanding. A man by the name of Malebranche once said, “All things of an abstracted nature are incomprehensible to them [women], they cannot employ their imagination in disentangling compound questions” (http://www.public.iastate.edu.) Malebranche is basically saying that women are not as intellectual as men. And because of this view on women, they were not allowed to attend classes other than those necessary to being a wife.

How does this Play into Women Not Benefiting? We can look at Madame du Chatelet. She was part of an upper class family in Paris Wife of Voltaire (famous for his works criticizing Dogma) Highly intelligent—had skills in Latin, Italian, and many more, but her favorite was Mathematics. Since higher education was reserved for men, Madame du Chatelet hired professors to teach her everything from writing to geometry

(Madame du Chatelet… …continued) Most impressive accomplishment: translation of Principia, Sir Issac Newton’s work She was able to comprehend the abstract things in Newton’s book, something many people could never begin to do Later, when Chatelet tried to join the Royal Academy of Scientists, a place where science was discussed, she was denied. It was definitely not because of her lack of intelligence, because we know she was up there with all the men, it was because of one thing: she was woman. Just like this, capable women were restricted from expressing their knowledge, and learning more

Reason 2: Society just couldn’t see women as being as good as men Women were seen as nothing more that housewives. They were supposed to clean, cook, and take care of their families. Some even saw them only as “child-bearers” Since we are talking about the Scientific Revolution, you might think that this intellectual revolution would change the views of men. Instead, they used the new science discoveries to prove women were inferior. But, how? One theory uses the anatomy of males and females to prove male dominance

Reason 2: Society just couldn’t see women as being as good as men (continued) Overall, men were just out to say that women were subordinate to them. They were just there to take part in the domestic areas. An interesting quote---- A man said this regarding the excellent works of a woman academic: *“The writings are so good, you would hardly believe they were don’t by a women at all” This just shows, men did not want to believe that some woman could be as smart as them.

Women During the Enlightenment Educated women were still the exception, not the rule. Women in France and England did participate actively in revolutionary groups. Rousseau remained conventional on this issue, stating that women should be subservient to men.

Rousseau---Anti-Women’s Rights This “typical” view of women being inferior was greatly expressed in the works of Rousseau. Rousseau was born in Geneva; his lifetime took place after Louis XIV---he was involved in the French Revolution Wrote several books on education, government, and women including Emile ou de l’ education, and Du Contrat social *The Emile ou de l’eductaion: argued that the social roles of women and men should be different *Main Fact about Rousseau: HE WAS ANTI-WOMEN’S RIGHTS!

Rousseau On the Education and Duties of Women: "The education of women should always be relative to that of men. To please, to be useful to us, to make us love and esteem them, to educate us when young, to take care of us when grown up, to advise, to console us, to render our lives easy and agreeable; these are the duties of women at all times, and what they should be taught in their infancy."   SO WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT?

Here’s a Run Down of Rousseau’s ANTI-WOMAN thoughts: A woman is a link between the child and father She is to maintain unity of the family Men and woman should NOT have same education Separate Sphere’s for Men and Women Women should for men…”make their lives agreeable and sweet---these are the duties of women at all times.” He like many other, believed women were not, and couldn’t be anything more that simple domestic wives

Early feminism (1550-1700) Concerns: No recourse to law for equality for pay or working conditions. Married women had no legal independence ( including no legal rights over children ) Economic access = marriage Woman as ‘inferior race’ { Judeo-Christian negative associations/interpretations as woman as temptation, secondary - from the rib of Adam} Improvements: (upper class women only) Conditions for education Womens argument against inferiority leads to questions about culture and nature. Small networking community established of British women writers

The “cult of true womanhood” portrayed the ideal woman as “pious, pure, domestic, and submissive.”

Women Writers Began to demand equal rights: Mary Wollstonecraft—A Vindication of the Rights of Women. In early 1800s, there were many women novelists: Bronte sisters, George Eliot, Emily Dickinson, Margaret Fuller, Germaine Necker, George Sand.

Women like Mary Wollstonecraft pointed to the unequal relationship as being contradictory to the ideas of the Enlightenment. Discussed women’s education, participation in government, and over all rights.

Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797), founder of modern feminism

Women and the Enlightenment SECTION 2 Women and the Enlightenment Views on Women’s Education Change • Many Enlightenment thinkers take traditional views of women’s role • Prominent writer Mary Wollstonecraft urges greater rights for women: - argues women need quality education to be virtuous and useful - urges women to go into traditionally male professions like politics • Some wealthy women use their status to spread Enlightenment ideas NEXT

Place of Woman in the World For Wollstonecraft, building on Rousseau, the problem is not in nature but in the artificial relations we create -- or more accurately -- men create and women endure.

With Views like that, Someone is going to get argue… Rousseau’s fellow “debater” was Mary Wollstonecraft Born in London, England She was a school head master -that’s where she began to realize the subordination of women in terms of education Writer of Thoughts on the Education of Daughters, and History and Moral View of the Origins and Progress of the French Revolution In 1792, she published A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, a text of hers that received the most attention

Mary Wollstonecraft Enlightenment thinkers still held traditional views about women Proper roles wives, mothers; should receive limited education Wollstonecraft demanded equal rights for women A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, equal education for women

Woman in the World “It would be an endless task to trace the variety of meanness, cares, and sorrows, into which women are plunged by the prevailing opinion, that they were created rather to feel than reason, and that all the power they obtain must be obtained by their charms and weakness...”

Woman in the World In other words, “prevailing opinion” or the ways in which we choose to organize our social relations dictates the treatment of women -- and the way in which women see themselves in the society.

From Mary Wollstonecraft’s book A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792): “If women be educated for dependence; that is, to act according to the will of another fallible being, and submit, right or wrong, to power, where are we to stop?” “The divine right of husbands, like the divine right of kings, may, it is hoped, in this enlightened age, be contested without danger.” “I do not wish (women) to have power over men, but over themselves.”

Historian Henry Noel Brailsford, in Shelley, Godwin, and Their Circle (1913), considered the Rights of Woman "perhaps the most original book of its century." "What was absolutely new in the world's history was that for the first time a woman dared to sit down to write a book which was not an echo of men's thinking, nor an attempt to do rather well what some man had done a little better, but a first exploration of the problems of society and morals from a standpoint which recognized humanity without ignoring sex."

Birth of Feminism The intellectual roots of feminism start in the Enlightenment. Mary Wollstonecraft: the mother of modern feminism. Vindication of the Rights of Woman: What were her two main arguments that enlightenment ideals supported equal rights for women?

Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797) Wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Women Argued for the rights of women Opposed traditional restrictions on women Believed that women should contribute to society and argued for their education

Mary Wollstonecraft Was the daughter of a handkerchief weaver, and was born in iLondon in 1759 In 1784 she opened a school in Newington Green, where she made friends with Richard Price, a minister at the local chapel, where she also because close with Price’s friend, Joseph Priestly Price had written the book Review of the Principal Questions of Morals where he argued that individual conscience and reason should be used in making moral choices – also rejected concept of original sin and eternal punishment (was, at times, accused of being an atheist OH NO AN ATHEIST!) Mary was greatly influenced by Price, and this was made apparent by her 1786 book, Thoughts on the Education of Girls, where she attacked traditional teaching methods and suggested new topics that should be studied by girls

A Vindication of the Rights of Woman Is like the “rebuttle” to Rousseau’s Separate Sphere’s for Men and Women Focused on importance of equal status of both men, and women And that education was the key for a woman’s success *Mary Wollstonecraft was an extreme feminist who helped women make a step towards gaining equal right in the 20th century.

Women and the Enlightenment Mary Wollstonecraft. A Vindication of the Rights of Women Women writers argue for more education for women and for women’s equality in marriage. Wollstonecraft disagreed with Rousseau that women’s education should be secondary to men’s. Rather women need to be educated to become virtuous and useful. Even if they were to be mothers they would become better mothers. Women should be able to become nurses and doctors. And to participate in politics.

Vindication of the Rights of Women Is considered Wollstonecraft’s most important book In it, she attacked the education restrictions that kept women in a state of “ignorance and slavish dependence, "and was especially critical of a society that encouraged women to be “docile and attentive to their looks to the exclusion of all else” She called marriage “legal prostitution” and added that women “may be convenient slaves, but slavery will have its constant effect, degrading the master and the abject dependent.” Her book caused much controversy, with passionate people on both sides of the argument – many a vituperative comment was made. She had even shocked other radicals, who had declared that education for women would have been pointless Mary had to flee to France, but there died in childbirth after marriage. Her daughter was Mary Shelby – the author of the famous Frankenstein

A Vindication of the Rights of Woman “…Civilized women are, therefore, so weakened by false refinement, that, respecting morals, their condition is much below what it would be were they left in a state nearer to nature… To remain, it may be said, innocent; they mean in a state of childhood… Fragile in every sense of the word, they are obliged to look up to man for every comfort… if fear in girls, instead of being cherished, perhaps, created, were treated in the same manner as cowardice in boys, we should quickly see women with more dignified aspects… I do not wish them to have power over men; but over themselves…”

A Vindication of the Rights of Women Excerpt from A Vindication of the Rights of Women: “It is vain to expect virtue from women till they are in some degree independent of men; nay, it is vain to expect that strength of natural affection which would make them good wives and mothers. Whilst they are absolutely dependent upon their husbands they will be cunning, mean, and selfish. The preposterous distinction of rank, which render civilization a curse, by dividing the world between voluptuous tyrants and cunning envious dependents, corrupt, almost equally, every class of people.”

Mary Wollstonecraft, Frances Wright, and Margaret Fuller believed that giving women an equal education to that of men would do more to improve women’s position in society than voting rights.

Mary Astell: 1666 – 1731AD A Serious Proposal to the Ladies Better education and equality in marriage Mary Astell is one of the earliest women philosophers of the early modern period not born into the class of nobility or wealth that allowed women to expand their intellectual horizons. She is hailed today as one of the first feminists chiefly because of her outspoken beliefs concerning the education of women and her thoughts concerning marriage Lack of education opportunities for women Used the Enlightenment ideas of government to criticize the unequal relationships between men and woemn in marriage.”If absolute soveriegnty can not be in a state, how comes it to be in a family?…if all men are born free why is it that all women are born slaves?”

Mary Astell Women's lack of choice in marriage especially irritates Astell.  Men who flatter them with praise while seeking their favor make them foolish (cf. Astrophil).  Women who can't find a husband are thought incompetent and no man can imagine himself not worthy of being any woman's suitor.   Learned women are mocked by the world at large, whereas men not uncommonly waste their time in pursuit of their lusts.  Women who sacrifice themselves to submission to a man are heroic in their self-control and in their service to God and mankind, but if they thought about it more carefully, they probably would not do it.  Hence, the number of women who marry in haste. Happy marriages are few, she asserts, because the way the institution operates in her England, money (income) is the primary qualification for most of them, with no thought for emotional compatibility, and poverty resulting from a "love match" renders the other sort miserable.  Men who marry for love are irregular, by definition, especially if they admire their spouses for wit, a term she criticizes as having fallen into being "bitter and ill-natured raillery" (2282) rather than "true wit," "such a sprightliness of imagination, such a reach and turn of thought, so properly expressed, as strikes and pleases a judicious taste" (2282).  She dismisses intense passion as unstable and no good grounds for a long-term relationship

Women and the Enlightenment Changing views Role of education Equality One of the offshoots of Enlightenment philosophy was a changed view of the role of women in society. Enlightenment thinkers held reason supreme and valued education as the best way to develop a person. They also viewed education as crucial for moral development and for society to function as close to ideal as possible. Many thinkers, therefore, advocated education for women; however, they differed on the specific things they believed women should be taught, and most male thinkers did not extend their arguments to advocate full equality for women. Not surprisingly, some women disagreed with this position and wrote important works advocating equality for women. Mary Wollstonecraft Olympe de Gouges

Olympe de Gouges Was born in 1748 in Montauban near Toulouse in France as Marie Gouze. Little attention was given to her education; therefore, she could hardly read or write, and only spoke French poorly and later dictated all of her work to a secretary. Moved to pre-revolutionary Paris and changed her name to blend in more with the people of the city. Lived under the support of her lover and underwent criticism for this to achieve her dream of becoming a writer. Attempted to live in Paris as a theater author but she did not succeed. Once wrote, “Why this unswerving prejudice against my sex? …Will it ever be allowed for women to escape from the terror of poverty other than by base means.” In 1789, began to write politically after the beginning of revolutionary events. (cont…)

Olympe de Gouges Printed her social-political ideas onto posters with her own money and hung them around Paris. Wrote the Declaration of the Rights of Women and Women Citizens not soon after. Wrote The Three Urns or the Welfare of the Fatherland and was arrested for the opinions expressed in the paper, for which she was eventually arrested, for she had been a major supporter of the Girondists, she had suggested a referendum on three possible forms of government She had also publicly defended the king in December 1782, mostly for humanitarian reasons – she wanted to achieve a reformation of society through words, through her writing and her continual appeals for nonviolence She thus remained a true representative of the Enlightenment despite her differences with Rousseau She was beheaded on November 3, 1793 after an unfair trial – not only for her being a member of the Girondists but because she supported women’s rights, for two weeks after her death, her body was held up in front of the crowd to show what would happen to those who supported women

Aims of the Declaration of the Rights of Woman Education for women Equal opportunities for women In employment A claim to land Equality for women in the eyes of the law Women must receive equal punishments Pencil picture: http://www.clipartheaven.com/clipart/education_&_schools/cartoons/

Aims, Continued A social contract between men and women in marriage All wealth is shared In the case of separation all property divided Women and men equal in a marriage Women’s suffrage A national assembly of women Equal rights for women Natural rights Freedom of speech Pencil picture: http://www.clipartheaven.com/clipart/education_&_schools/cartoons/

From De Gouges’ Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen Woman, wake up… discover your rights. Oh, women, women! When will you cease to be blind? Regardless of what barriers confront you, it is in your power to free yourselves; you have only to want to… I offer a foolproof way to elevate the soul of women; it is to join them to all the activities of man… Man… Tell me, what gives you sovereign empire to oppress my sex? Pencil picture: http://www.clipartheaven.com/clipart/education_&_schools/cartoons/

Olympe de Gouges Excerpt from Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen: “…ignorance, omission, and scorn for the rights of women are only causes of public misfortune and of the corruption of governments, [the women] have resolved to set forth in a solemn declaration the natural, inalienable, and sacred rights of woman in order that this declaration, constantly exposed before all the members of this society, will ceaselessly remind them of their rights and duties; in order that the authoritative acts of women and authoritative acts of men may be at any moment compared with and respectful of the purpose of all political institutions; and in order that the citizens’ demands, henceforth based on simple and incontestable principles, will always support the constitution, good morals, and the happiness of all.”

A Quick Sum Up of why Women did not Benefit: #1 Lack of Opportunities #2 Views of Society #3 Especially the views of men: Remember Rosseau, the ANTI-FEMINIST guy. Along with educational setbacks, women still did not have many political rights during this time such as property owning, or voting like the men.