Chapter 22 – The Enlightenment The ideas of the Scientific Revolution paved the way to the Enlightenment, or as it is also known, “The Age of Reason” 2 men, living thru the political chaos in England in the 1600’s came to different ideas about government & human nature.

Thomas Hobbes 1588-1679 In his book, Leviathan, he is convinced that all humans are naturally selfish & wicked.

Without governments to keep order that would chaos To escape such bleak prospects people gave up their rights to a strong ruler In exchange they gained law & order

The agreement is called the social contract People will act in their own self interests so the ruler needs total power Hobbes supported absolute monarchy

John Locke 1632 – 1704 Had more faith in mankind then Hobbes did John Locke 1632 – 1704 Had more faith in mankind then Hobbes did. He thought that people could learn from experience and improve themselves.

Man is a reasonable being and had the natural ability to govern their own affairs Locke criticized absolute monarchy

All people were born free & equal with 3 natural rights – life, liberty, and property The purpose of government is to protect these rights – if it fails to do so, citizens have a right to overthrow it

Philosophes Believed that people could apply reason to all aspects of life (just like science had done) Reason – truth could be discovered through reason or logical thinking (today we call it analytical) Happiness – was acceptable on earth, not just in the hereafter. Progress – natural state when combined with the scientific approach. Liberty - envisioned the same liberties that the English had won in the Glorious Revolution.

Nature – there were natural laws of economics, politics, motion, etc Nature – there were natural laws of economics, politics, motion, etc. Nature was good ( and natural )

Used satire against opponents Voltaire 1694-1778 Published over 70 books of political essays, philosophy, history, fiction and drama. Used satire against opponents Made fun of his government, religion (he didn’t believe in Jesus), and customs in France.

Although he never stopped fighting for tolerance, he thought that blacks were inferior to whites (he was involved in the slave trade where he is said to have made so much money he was one of the 20 richest men in France) He was also anti-Semitic He didn’t believe in democracy, but enlightened monarchy, supported by enlightened philosophers.

Montesquieu, Rousseau, and Beccaria Montesquieu argued that the best government would be one in which power was balanced among three groups of officials. He thought England - which divided power between the king (who enforced laws), Parliament (which made laws), and the judges of the English courts (who interpreted laws) - was a good model of this.

Montesquieu called the idea of dividing government power into three branches the "separation of powers." He thought it most important to create separate branches of government with equal but different powers. That way, the government would avoid placing too much power with one individual or group of individuals.

Rousseau argued that the goal of government should be to secure freedom, equality, and justice for all within the state, regardless of the will of the majority. Argued that the advancement of art and science had not been beneficial to mankind. He proposed that the progress of knowledge had made governments more powerful, and crushed individual liberty. He concluded that material progress had actually undermined the possibility of sincere friendship, replacing it with jealousy, fear and suspicion.

He viewed society as "artificial" and "corrupt" and that the furthering of society results in the continuing unhappiness of man. People should be willing to give away some of their personal freedoms in favor of the common good (sound familiar)

Beccaria argues that punishment should be swift since this has the greatest deterrence value Maintains that punishment should be equal to the harm done, either literally an eye for an eye, or more figuratively which allows for alternative forms of compensation. Torture should not be used

Laws were to protect society, not to avenge crimes

Torture should not be used

Mary Wollstonecraft 1759-1797 Wollstonecraft attacked the educational restrictions that kept women in a state of "ignorance and slavish dependence." She was especially critical of a society that encouraged women to be "docile and attentive to their looks to the exclusion of all else." Wollstonecraft described marriage as "legal prostitution”

Impact of the Enlightenment The theories would inspire the American & French revolutions Belief in progress – gave people the confidence that human reason could solve social problems. Argued for social equality and thru reason, a better society was possible More Secular Outlook – the rise of a more worldly viewpoint. People began to question their religious beliefs and teachings of the church (openly, and later without repercussions) Importance of the Individual – turned away from church and royalty and looked inward. Encouraged people to trust their own judgment