Important Enlightenment Thinkers

“The Age of Reason” 1700’s Intellectual movement stressing: Skepticism Progress Follows Scientific Revolution’s emphasis on observation, questioning, natural law, secularism, and reason

The Philosophes Philosophers criticizing society in 1700’s France Promote Reason, Liberty, and Progress Reform starting with the monarchy Tended to oppose organized religion, promote Deism (belief in a distant, uninvolved creator)

Thomas Hobbes Leviathan 1651 Government exists to keep wicked people in order Absolute Monarchy best type of gov. to do this People give up rights for law and order

John Locke 2nd Treatise on Government 1689 People agree to form governments to protect their natural rights; life, liberty, & property If gov. does not protect rights  overthrow it People can reason and run their own government- democracy Essay Concerning Human Understanding 1690 Tabula Rasa- People born as blank slates and can be made better

Mary Astell A Serious Proposal to the Ladies 1694 Reasoned that women should get equal rights

Baron de Montesquieu The Spirit of Laws 1748 Studied British gov. (Parl., King, Courts), described it as separation of powers Divide power so that no one part of gov. can be too powerful, branches check each other Legislative branch writes laws Executive enforces laws Courts judge laws

Voltaire Candide 1759 Fought for Free Speech Used satire to attack enemies and critics on enlightened values Fought for Free Speech

Jean Rousseau The Social Contract 1762 Governments are formed by free men through a social contract, giving up some rights for common good (The General Will) Argues for equality, abolishment of noble titles Direct democracy best

Cesare Beccaria On Crimes and Punishments 1764 Wrote against cruel and unusual punishments Argued for fair, consistent trials

Immanuel Kant & David Hume Argued against the existence of God

Mary Wollstonecraft A Vindication of the Rights of Woman 1792 Argued for equal rights for women, especially in education

Enlightenment Ideas Spread Salons of France Parties held to present & discuss new ideas Often hosted by wealthy women Diderot’s Encyclopedia Included critiques of society Hoped to spread knowledge Widely read Pamphlets

Legacy of the Enlightenment Belief in progress- Idea that things can be made better More secular outlook- Less trust in power of religion Individual freedom

Enlightened Despots Def: Absolute monarchs who tried to rule by enlightenment principles Granted many new rights, supported the arts and education Improved lives of people to increase own power

Frederick the Great (r.1740-1786) in Prussia Takes Silesia from Austria 1742 Doubles population Defends Prussia in 7 Years War Attempt by Russia, France, and Austria to wipe out Prussia “I am the servant of the state” Passes out tools and potatoes to peasants after war Greater religious freedom, except for Jews Encourages education Reduces censorship Reforms legal system, ends torture Doesn’t end serfdom (afraid of upsetting the junkers)

Catherine the Great of Russia Continues adoption of Western Culture Calls for enlightened reforms based on Montesquieu and Beccaria Ends torture, expands tolerance Crushes Cossack uprising Refuses to help Serfs Needed support of nobles Ends their taxation and gives them land Expands Russia’s borders Partitions Poland Wars with Ottomans for port on Black Sea

Joseph II of Austria (r.1780-1790) Allows free press and free worship (Protestants and Jews) Improves bureaucracy Replaces nobles with Middle Class Required elementary school Legal reforms, end of torture Flat tax for all Ends serfdom, demands labor wages, And converts debts to cash Undone after his death along with many of his reforms