1. THE ENLIGHTENMENT
THE AGE OF REASON

2. What is the Enlightenment?
Develops out of the ideas of Scientific Revolution-Philosophers use ideas and reason of Scientific Revolution for problems in government & society
An expansion of the worldliness and secularism (separation or state and religion) Renaissance
Central Concepts of the Enlightenment
Methods of natural science should be used to understand all aspects of life-through use of REASON
Discover the natural laws of human society as well as the natural world (social science)
Idea of progress – Confidence in human power, human reason to improve society

3. Enlightenment and Government
Enlightenment thinkers criticized accepted ideas of government
Divine right of kings-idea God choose the king, and king got his authority from God
Stressed individual rights that government must respect
Enlightenment thinkers felt people should have a say in their government
Value reason and observation
Targets religion (Catholic Church) and domination of society by a hereditary aristocracy

4. John Locke: Social Contract and Natural Rights
Wrote Two Treaties of Government in 1690
Gov. was to protect people’s natural rights – “Life, Liberty, & Property”
Social Contract between the people and their government
If government does not respect human rights, it can be overthrown
People gave government power to rule; consent of the governed
Idea of goverrnment being overthrown is echoed in Declaration of Independence

5. Locke's’ Ideas in England
Locke in favor of constitutional monarchies
Constitution limits power of monarchs
1689-English set down rules- English Bill of Rights
Strengthens power of people & their representatives in Parliament

6. Philosophes Used methods of science to understand and improve society
Endorsed progress and tolerance
Distrusted organized religion
Focused on solving problems of world/society
Reason would lead to reforms of government, laws, and society
Voltaire, Montesquieu, Diderot, Rousseau

7. Montesquieu: Separation of Powers
Wrote The Spirits of Laws in 1748
Concern was how to protect liberty from bad government
His idea: the Separation of powers
Dividing different powers among more than one branch of government- no group could grow too powerful
Each branch checked the other
Influenced U.S. Constitution-Legislative(Congress) Judicial(courts) Executive(President)

8. Voltaire: Religious Tolerance and Free Speech
Writer – targets corrupt officials
Battled inequalities, injustice and superstition, religious intolerance
Advocated for freedom of thought and expression
“I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it”
U.S. Bill of Rights – used idea of freedom of religion and freedom of speech – 1st Amendment to the Constitution

9. Jean Jacques Rousseau
Science raise barriers between people and their natural state
People are good – evils of society corrupts them
“Virtue exists in the state of nature but is lost in society”-
“Man is born free, yet everywhere he is in chains”
Government must preserve virtue & liberty
Social Contract
Minimal controls on people
Freely elected govt. could place controls on people
General will of the people
Good of community is above individual interests

10. Physiocrats: Economic Thinking
Natural laws-Rational Economic System based on natural laws of economies
Laissez Faire –Businesses to operate with little or no government control
Mercantilism-too much government regulation
Adam Smith- The Wealth of Nations-
Free Markets would regulate business activity
Supply and Demand- suppliers would meet demand
Government had duty to protect society, administer justice, and provide public works

11. Enlightened Despots Frederick II (The Great) of Prussia
Ruled Prussia from
Granted Religious Freedoms
Reduced Censorship
Improved Education

12. Enlightened Despots Progressive policy of religious toleration
Granted toleration to Jews and Protestants in Catholic Empire
Improved peasants way of life
Abolished serfdom
Sold church properties and monasteries not involved in education or care of the sick
Patron of Composers

13. Enlightened Despots Catherine the Great
Believed in Enlightenment ideas of equality and liberty
Limited reforms in government and law
Granted nobles a charter of rights
Religious tolerance
Criticized serfdom-did not abolish
Vastly expanded the Russian Empire