The Enlightenment 1650-1750

Overview Belief that… Scientific Revolution proved that there were laws governing the operation of the universe. Since human beings were part of the natural world, there should be laws that govern their behavior also. Ideas grounded in tradition & faith should be challenged. Scientific method could be used to discover these laws. As a result, human life and society might be changed for the better.

Thomas Hobbes Wrote Leviathan Claimed human nature was essentially bad People could not govern themselves Therefore, people should enter into a social contract w/an absolute ruler who keeps order in exchange for peoples’ loyalty This contract cannot be broken

John Locke Wrote Two Treatises on Gov’t Claimed human nature was essentially good People could govern themselves Therefore, people should enter into a social contract w/elected gov’t to keep order and protect their rights This contract can be broken if gov’t becomes a tyranny

Jean Jacques Rousseau Wrote The Social Contract Claimed people should make a contract w/each other to govern themselves All titles of nobility should be abolished

Baron Montesquieu Wrote Spirit of the Laws Became concerned with how the power of gov’t could be limited Believed power should be separated among different branches of gov’t Each branch would have the power to check the other branches

Voltaire Wrote Candide Criticized the intolerance of organized religion Promoted separation of church and state Argued for freedom of speech, press, religion, etc. Believed in “Enlightened Monarchy”

The Impact of the Enlightenment Enlightenment ideas profoundly impacted American, French, and Latin American Revolutions The social sciences (psychology, political science, sociology, etc.) were an outgrowth of the Enlightenment Assumptions about the proper role of gov’t, human rights, civil liberties, etc. held by most people in democratic societies today were shaped by the Enlightenment