1. 18TH Century
movement
Europe
Thinkers apply reason and scientific methods to all aspects of society

2. The Philosophes
Height of Enlightenment in France
Met in Paris to discuss ideas
Believed people could apply reason to all aspects of life

3. Five concepts of core beliefs:
Philosophes cont.
Five concepts of core beliefs:
Reason
Nature
Happiness
Progress
Liberty

4. Thomas Hobbes

5. Thomas Hobbes Absolute monarchy was best Human beings are naturally:
Violent
Disorderly
Without absolute monarch = chaos
1651 Leviathan
Form social contract
Give up freedoms to be protected and live peacefully
No right to rebel

6. John Locke

7. John Locke Government based on social contract
Human beings are naturally:
Reasonable
Moral
All people have natural rights
Life
Liberty
Property

8. Locke cont.
Government created to protect natural rights
People had right to overthrow

9. Voltaire

10. Voltaire French writer Fought for: Made many enemies
Tolerance
Reason
Freedom of religion
Freedom of speech
Made many enemies
Sent to jail & later exiled to England for two years

11. Montesquieu

12. French writer – political liberty
Montesquieu
French writer – political liberty
Proposed separation of powers amongst branches of government
Keep individuals or groups from becoming too powerful

13. Rousseau

14. Rousseau Passionate about individual freedoms
Believed society corrupted people’s natural goodness
Believed only good government was freely formed from the “will of the people”

15. All people equal  titles of nobility abolished
Rousseau cont.
Social contract
Free individuals to create society and government
All people equal  titles of nobility abolished

16. Beccaria

17. Beccaria
Italian philosophe
Laws existed to preserve social order
Argued for rights of the accused
Believed capital punishment should be abolished

18. Adam Smith

19. Adam Smith
Father of Economics
If individuals free to pursue own economic self interests  society benefits

20. Adam Smith Laissez – Faire Economics
Government should leave the economy ALONE
3 roles of government
Protect state from invasion
Defend citizens from injustices
Keep up public works (i.e. roads, canals)

21. Mary Wollstonecraft

22. Mary Wollstonecraft Philosophes held traditional view toward women
Mary argued that women need education
Urged women to enter fields dominated by men
Medicine
Politics

23. Inspired French and American Revolutions Three long-term effects
Legacy
Inspired French and American Revolutions
Three long-term effects
Belief in progress
Rise of more secular outlook
Rise of individualism