1. The Enlightenment in Europe
Section 2
The Enlightenment in Europe

2. The Enlightenment in Europe
Philosophers and scholars also began to question reason and order and began to question long held beliefs about the human condition
Wanted to change the ideas of rights and liberties of ordinary citizens
Challenged relationship between government and people
Brought new insights in government, religion, economics and education
Stressed using reason and thought to solve human problems

3. The Enlightenment in Europe
Key ideas about Enlightenment from two English thinkers of the 1600’s, Thomas Hobbes and John Locke
Thomas Hobbes- Expressed views in book called Leviathan (1651)
English Civil War convinced him that humans were selfish and needed strong government to keep law and order
Called idea by which people created a government the social contract
In social contract society give up freedom for law and order

4. The Enlightenment in Europe
John Locke- had a more positive view of human nature
Believed people were basically reasonable
People had natural rights- life, liberty, property
People form governments to protect rights
Best government had limited power, accepted by all citizens
Government has obligation to people and if it violates natural rights people could overthrow government
Influenced modern democracy

5. The Enlightenment in Europe
Enlightenment reached height in France in mid-1700’s
Paris was center of Enlightenment ideas
Social critics were known as philosophes
Characteristics
Used methods of science to understand and improve society
Believed reason could reform government, law and society
Wanted social justice, equality
Met in salons, informal gatherings, brought together writers, artists, thinkers to discuss and spread ideas

6. The Enlightenment in Europe
Voltaire
Most famous of philosophes, best known book Candide
Wrote criticisms of Christianity, aristocracy, and government
Promoted religious toleration, freedom of speech, freedom of expression
“I do not agree with a word you say but will defend to the death your right to say it”
Montesquieu
Believed in political liberty, critic of absolute monarchy
1748 Spirit of Laws discussed governments through history
Best way to protect liberty was to divide powers of government through three branches (executive, judicial, legislative) called separation of powers
Each branch a check on the other two (checks and balances)

7. The Enlightenment in Europe
Rousseau
Committed to personal liberty
Argued that civilization corrupted our natural goodness
Believed that government should be guided by the goodwill of society, people had to give up some freedom for the common good
Wrote a book called the Social Contract
Difference between Rousseau and Hobbes:
Rousseau believed that government was an agreement of free individuals to create government

8. The Enlightenment in Europe
Beccaria
Italian philosophe
Wrote about the justice system
Laws existed to preserve social order and should be for the greatest good for the greatest number of people
Argued accused should have a speedy trial and that the punishment should fit the crime
Fought to abolish torture and capital punishment

9. The Enlightenment in Europe
Women and the Enlightenment
Philosphes thought women had natural rights, but limited (home, family)
Women looked to improve their status
Mary Wollstonecraft
Wollstonecraft argued women should not be excluded from social contract
A Vindication of the Rights of Woman
Argued that women needed education to be virtuous and useful , urged women to enter male dominated fields like medicine and politics

10. The Enlightenment in Europe
Legacy of the Enlightenment
Enlightenment thinkers challenged long held ideas about society from religion to the role of government
Theories inspired the American and French Revolutions
Three other long term effects of the Enlightenment
Belief in progress- idea that human thought, logic and reason could solve social problems
More secular outlook- more non-religious viewpoint, questioned the ideas of the church and promoted religious tolerance
Importance of the individual- people looked to themselves to solve problems, not government, or church