1. The
Enlightenment

2. Philosophe – Philosophers who created Enlightened ideas.
The Enlightenment is a period of new ideas about government and rulers.
Philosophe – Philosophers who created Enlightened ideas.
Rationalism was a popular philosophy.
Truth can only be reached through logic.
Natural Law – Philosophes believed society followed the laws of nature.
Survival of the fittest.
Enlightened Despot – King who ruled according to Enlightenment ideas.

4. The Philosophes Cesare Beccaria. Italian lawyer.
Opposed torture as a way to get accused to confess.
Felt it led to false confessions and innocent deaths.
Advocated “Innocent until proven guilty”.

5. Cesare Beccaria

8. Baron de Montesquieu.
French writer.
Hated monarchies.
Felt that government should exist to serve the people.
Government should fit the needs of the people.
Advocated a separation of powers in government, to prevent dictatorship.

9. Baron de Montesquieu

10. Felt economics was key to improving society.
Adam Smith.
Scottish economist.
Felt economics was key to improving society.
Advocated free enterprise, where people can enter any business they want.
Advocated free market economy, where people go into business to make money.
Consumers determine value of goods and services.

11. Adam Smith

13. Voltaire.
French writer.
Went against Catholic Church.
Felt that you can’t count on God for happiness.
People must work to improve their lives and society.

14. Voltaire

15. Denis Diderot.
French writer.
Believed knowledge was key to improving society.
An educated society can identify problems and find solutions.
Wrote “Encyclopedie”, a collection of all knowledge, filled with Enlightenment ideas.

16. Denis Diderot

18. Jean-Jacques Rousseau.
French writer.
Believed people were naturally good, but society corrupted them.
Felt that government should be made up of people who worked for the common good.

19. Jean-Jacques Rousseau

20. Only female Philosophe. Advocated women’s rights.
Mary Wollstonecraft.
English writer.
Only female Philosophe.
Advocated women’s rights.
Felt that women were as smart and capable as men.
Unsuccessful.

21. Mary Wollstonecraft