The Enlightenment Main Idea: European thinkers developed new ideas about government and society during the Enlightenment.

The Enlightenment The scientific revolution convinced many European thinkers about the power of reason and it’s ability to be used to solve all human problems, this time became known as the Enlightenment or Age of Reason. Eager to promote the new ideas, many wealthy Parisian women began hosting social gatherings called salons in which they brought together philosophers, artists, scientists, and writers regularly to discuss their ideas. Key Enlightenment Ideas: Ability to reason is what makes humans unique Reason can be used to solve problems and improve people’s lives Reason can free people from ignorance, superstition, and unfair government The natural world is governed by laws that can be discovered through reason Like the natural world, human behavior is governed by natural laws Governments should reflect natural laws and encourage education and debate.

Enlightenment Thinkers English thinker Thomas Hobbes wrote in his book Leviathan that people needed government in order to impose order. He argued that some people should agree to give up some freedoms in exchange for peace, safety, and order he called this exchange the Social Contract. English philosopher John Locke believed that people were naturally happy, tolerant, and reasonable. He argued that every man has the right to life, liberty, and property. Locke believed that the purpose of government was to protect people’s natural rights, if they did not the people had the right to revolt. Jean-Jacques Rousseau believed that people were born good and society corrupted people. He believed that the government should work for the common good of the citizens even if that meant that people gave up some rights to benefit the community as a whole. He believed that all people were equal and should be recognized as equal in society. Baron de Montesquieu argued that the best form of government included a separation of powers that would prevent any individual or group from abusing its power. He believed that governments should be divided into branches to serve as a check against the power of the others – called checks and balances.

Enlightenment Thinkers Francois- Marie Arouet wrote under the name Voltaire and attacked injustice wherever he saw it – among nobility, the government, and in the church. Denis Diderot was the first to compile all the human knowledge into a single work – the Encyclopedia. The work explained new ideas about art, science, government, and religion. The Encyclopedia helped to spread Enlightenment knowledge across Europe. Mary Wollstonecraft rejected the common view that women’s roles were as wives and mothers. She demanded equal rights for women, especially in education. She argued that if women had an equal education they should have an equal standing in society. Economist Adam Smith used reason to analyze economic systems. In his book Wealth of Nations Smith argued that business activities should take place in a free market. He was a strong believer in Laissez Faire economics or an economic system that worked without government regulation.

Enlightened Despots Many of the Enlightenment ideas inspired monarchs to develop systems of government in which they ruled according to enlightenment ideas, these monarch’s became known as Enlightened Despots. Frederick II, the king of Prussia, believed that his duty was to rule with absolute power in order to build Prussia’s strength, but he also enacted many reforms. He established a system of elementary education for all Prussian children, abolished torture and supported most forms of religious tolerance. Catherine II became the ruler of Russia and dreamed of establishing order and justice in Russia while supporting education and culture. She drafted a Russian constitution and a code of laws, but they were never put into place.