Enlightenment in Europe

Chapter 6, Section 2

Thomas Hobbes

• He argues that all humans are evil by nature

• Without government people would act on their evil ways

• Governments are needed or we could not function as a society

• Social Contract – people give up their individual freedoms allowing government to control the “evil ways” of man

John Locke

• Felt more positive about humans as individuals• People could be trusted to do the right thing

– Self-government

• Natural Rights – people are born with these– Life, liberty, and property

• The purpose of the government is to protect these natural rights– If a government fails, the people have the right to

overthrow it

• Government’s power comes from the consent of the people – this is democracy people (core value)

Voltaire

• Used satire to attack his enemies• Public enemy number one… the

church, rich, and gov• He really pushed for religious

freedom– You might know this concept from a

famous U.S. document

Baron de Montesquieu

• Political liberty• The government needs to be

checked• So he comes up with the

idea/concept Separation of Power– If different groups held different powers

within the government, no one would control all

– “Power should be checked to power”

Jean Jacques Rousseau

• He thought that government/society/civilization corrupted man

• “Man is born free and everywhere he is in chains.”

• When man “came together” the strongest ruled, creating unjust laws

• The only good gov was one formed by the people– Direct democracy

• Social Contract

Hobbes v Rousseau

• People are evil• They need gov• They enter a

contract with gov to control the evil ways

• The “contract” is an agreement between the gov and society

• People are good• If they are not

they can learn• People are

forced into gov• The “contract”

is free individuals creating the society and gov

Cesare Beccaria

• Took a look at the judicial system• Laws exists to preserve social order, not

avenge crimes• He called for the abolishment of torture• A common system of legal proceedings• No more punishment that was cruel or

arbitrary (consistency)• Speedy trial• Punishment should fit the crime

Females in the Enlightenment

• Mary Astell – argued that woman should have access to education and equal rights in marriage

• Mary Wollstonecraft – Woman and society would become a better place if woman had access to education. Plus they should participate in politics

• Emilie du Châtelet – Translated works by Newton into French, allowing all to understand his finding. She was well educated

Impacts of the Enlightenment

• Belief in Progress:– Science exploded with discoveraries– Equality became a worldwide phenomena

• More Secular View:– Worldly view– People turned from religion

• Importance of the Individual:– People turn from the church and royalty for

guidance– People think for themselves