1. Modern World History 2011-2012 Androstic
The Enlightenment: Enlightened Absolutism, Women’s Rights, and Religion
Modern World History
Androstic

2. Today, we’ll finish up our look at the Enlightenment by observing the new ideas in religion, women’s rights, and Enlightened Absolutism

3. RELIGION IN THE AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT

4. Differing opinions on religion in the Enlightenment

5. Enlightenment Religion
Enlightened Christians
Deists
Atheists

6. Voltaire (philosopher and author)was one of the most well-known deists:
Deism is a religious philosophy based on reason and natural law
Deists were often critical of organized religion
The philosophy of a world machine – God created the world, and then just let it run
Voltaire and other deists believed in a mechanical God, or referred to God like a clockmaker. God made the world, then lets it run itself, not interfering with daily operations in nature and humanity.

8. WOMEN’S RIGHTS IN THE AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT

9. Opposing views of women’s place:
Many philosophers classified women in a way similar to children, suggesting they are not “rational” and therefore should not be treated equitably.
Philosophes (like Rousseau) suggested women should be taught to be the keeper of the home and educator of children. In that way, man and woman would compliment each other.
Many of the Enlightenment thinkers, as we will read in tonight’s homework, did not see women as equal beings, deserving of the same rights as man. As they considering governments and social relationships, they never thought about the relationship between men and women, husband and wife.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau

10. The arguments made by Mary Wollstonecraft regarding women’s rights.
Wollstonecraft made two major arguments for women’s equality:
First…
Husbands: wives: kings: men
Men didn’t like being submissive to king, but expected women to be submissive to them!
Mary Wollstonecraft ( ) gave a modern view to women’s rights, as she used logic, empiricism, and reason to argue on behalf of women’s rights.

11. The arguments made by Mary Wollstonecraft regarding women’s rights.
Second…
Women thought rationally (just like men!)
If women were capable of equal thinking, they were deserving of equal treatment!
In her work, The Vindication of the Rights of Women, she suggests that women are considered irrational compared to men, but in comparing men and women she suggests that she knows many women who have more reason and sense than their husbands.

12. ENLIGHTENED ABSOLUTISM

13. Explaining enlightened absolutism.
Enlightened absolutism was a system of government where an absolute ruler governed using Enlightenment principles.
These principles included policies such as:
abolished torture
limited freedom of speech
religious tolerance
abolished death penalty
It’s important to note with Enlightened rulers, or “benevolent despots” that they dabbled in Enlightenment ideals for the most part, but never made them a predominant influence in their reign. They would try to institute policies in their rule, but never completely, and never permanently. When there was a threat of uprising or concern for their power, they would bail on the policies.

14. Enlightened Absolutism
Joseph II of Austria
Catherine II (the Great) of Russia
Frederick II (the Great) of Prussia

15. Progressive policies included: Abolition of serfdom
Joseph II of Austria
Progressive policies included:
Abolition of serfdom
Universal code of laws
Religious freedom
Freedom of the press
Elimination of death penalty
Joseph II was the most dedicated to the Enlightenment cause, trying to implement the most change, and sticking to it the most. However, in enacting these changes, he angered the nobles and church, losing his support base, and even the peasants struggled to survive. His policies mostly failed, and his successors undid all his progressive policies.
Joseph II ( )

16. Catherine II (the Great) of Russia
Progressive policies included:
Creation of legislative commission
Creation of provinces with elected representatives
Freedom of assembly, petition, property, trial by jury
Catherine the Great also attempted reforms. Through her unhappy marriage to Peter III, she read to escape reality, including the works of Voltaire, Locke, Rousseau, etc. After ousting her own husband, she became the ruler, and began to attempt to enact changes. However, her true colors shined through after the outbreak of the French Revolution (1789), and she revoked her policies and censored the presses.
Catherine II ( )

17. Frederick II (the Great) of Prussia
Progressive policies included:
Religious freedom
Freedom of press
Restricted use of torture
Frederick made some changes, but did not end the social structure that took place, including the system of serfdom that took place. Frederick, like Catherine, was willing to implement some progressive changes, but they always took a back seat to maintaining their power. However, it should be said that unlike other rulers of the past, these rulers at least consider social reforms, and were perhaps the closest thing to fair rulers. And at the same time, Enlightenment ideas would be used to replace old forms of government in the colonies (becoming the United States), and in France, where the French Revolution would take place starting in 1789.
Frederick II ( )