Enlightenment in Europe Aim: How do ideas of the Enlightenment philosophers compare to ideas of Absolutism?

Enlightenment A new intellectual movement that stressed reason and thought and the power of individuals to solve problems. Took place after... - The Renaissance - Scientific Revolution Started during the end of absolutism

Relationship of Renaissance and Enlightenment Humanism: glorified human achievement Secularism: absence of religion Enlightenment took these ideas further.

Thomas Hobbes He believed that all humans naturally born evil and selfish. The govt needs to keep order in the state To escape a bleak life, people has to hand over their rights to a strong ruler. In exchange, they gained law and order. Hobbs called this agreement by which people created govt is called social contract.

John Locke Humans have the natural ability to govern their own affairs. Self government ( criticize absolute monarchy) All people are born with free natural rights

Other important philosophers Rousseau: passionate about individual freedom and that govt should be guided by the individual Voltaire: he fought for tolerance, reason and freedom of religious belief and freedom of speech Montesquieu: believed in separation of powers Wollstonecraft: women should be educated equally to men

Major Ideas of the Enlightenment Natural Rights-life, liberty, and prosper Freedom of thought and expression Religious freedom Women's Equality

The Enlightenment philosophers were radical thinkers- in their countries they had no control so they could only state their ideas. This brings countries to not want an absolute monarchy, even though there was no way around it.