The Age of Reason

The Age of Enlightenment  Europe had dwelled in the dim glow of the Middle Ages when suddenly the lights began to come on in men’s minds and humankind moved forward.  As described by Immanuel Kant, enlightenment meant, “the freedom to use one’s own intelligence”.

Enlightenment Thinkers  Thomas Hobbes:  Ideas: People were cruel, greedy, selfish and if not strictly controlled would fight, rob and oppress each other.  Ideas on Government: To escape a brutish life, people entered into a social contract in which they gave up freedom for an organized society. Ideal govt. was a monarchy, it could compel order and obedience.

 John Locke:  Ideas: Thought people were reasonable and moral. People had natural rights, rights we are born with. Rights include life, liberty and property.  Ideas on Government: Believed rulers derived their power only from the consent of the people. The best kind of govt. had limited power. If a govt. violated peoples’natural rights, the people had the right to overthrow that government. He rejected absolute monarchy.

 The Philosophes: In the 1700s a group of Enlightenment thinkers applied the methods of science to understand and improve society.

 Montesquieu:  Ideas:Believed in religious tolerance. Slavery reforms. Wrote Spirit of the Laws, discussed govts. throughout history.  Ideas on Government: Felt best way to protect liberty was to divide functions and power of govt. among three branches; executive, legislative and judicial. Each branch would serve as a check on the other two. Sharply criticized absolute monarchy.

 Voltaire:  Ideas: Advocate of human rights. He denounced organized religion, detested religious prejudice and the slave trade. Attacked corrupt officials and idle aristocrats.  Ideas on Government:  Defended the principles of freedom of speech and freedom of religion. Believed in political freedom.

 Rousseau:  Ideas: Felt people in their natural state were basically good and that they were corrupted by the evils of society. Hated all forms of political and economic oppression.  Ideas on Government:Felt that society placed too many limitations on people. Believed controls should be minimal. Only freely elected govts. should impose these controls. Good of the community as a whole should be placed above the individual. Wrote his ideas in The Social Contract.

 Diderot:  Ideas: Compiled 28-volume set of books titled Encyclopedia. Explained ideas on government, philosophy and religion. Attacked traditional religions and urged education for all.  Ideas on Government: Attacked divine-right theory, praised freedom of expression, denounced slavery.

 Wollstonecraft:  Ideas: Woman’s first duty is to be a good mother, but can decide her own self-interest.  Called for equal education for girls and boys.  Ideas on Government: Thought women should participate in public life.

 Smith: (physiocrat)  Ideas: Urged a policy of laissez faire.The free market should regulate business activity.  Ideas on Government:  Govt. should stay out of the market place. Thought government should protect society, administer justice, and provide public works.