Key Concepts of Enlightenment, Nationalism, and the Industrial Revolution

This set of flashcards covers vocabulary and key concepts from the Enlightenment, Nationalism, and the Industrial Revolution, providing definitions and explaining significant historical figures and ideas.

Social Contract

An agreement between the governed and the government to protect rights, justifying resistance or reform against unjust rule.

Popular Sovereignty

Political power rests with the people, legitimizing revolutions and constitutions.

Natural Rights

Universal rights such as life, liberty, and property; foundational to bills of rights and abolitionist principles.

Nationalism

Loyalty to one's nation defined by shared culture and history, driving independence and unification movements.

Conservatism

Political philosophy advocating traditional institutions and gradual change, often as a response to radical revolution.

Liberalism (19th c.)

Advocates for constitutional government, individual rights, and free markets, typically reflecting middle-class interests.

Capitalism

An economic system characterized by private ownership and market competition, which fuels industrial and global trade growth.

Socialism

A critique of social inequality that seeks to distribute wealth more equitably through social or collective solutions.

Communism (Marxism)

A political theory advocating for class struggle leading to a proletarian revolution and a classless society.

Industrialization

The process of mechanizing production using fossil fuels, leading to increased output, urbanization, and power imbalances.

Urbanization

The process of people moving from rural areas to cities, often for factory work, leading to crowded living conditions.

Laissez-Faire

An economic policy of minimal government interference in the economy, associated with free-market capitalism.

Enclosure Movement

The process in Britain of consolidating land, which displaced rural workers and increased labor supply for factories.

Proletariat

The working class in industrial society, central to socialist and Marxist theory.

Bourgeoisie

The middle class of owners and professionals who gained power through industry and liberal reforms.

Thomas Hobbes

Philosopher advocating for a strong sovereign to prevent anarchy, best known for his work 'Leviathan'.

John Locke

Philosopher known for natural rights and the consent of the governed, influencing democratic declarations.

Montesquieu

Philosopher advocating for the separation of powers and checks and balances in government.

Rousseau

Philosopher who emphasized the general will and popular sovereignty, critiquing social inequalities.

Olympe de Gouges

Early feminist who wrote the 'Declaration of the Rights of Woman,' critiquing the French Revolution.

Toussaint Louverture

Leader of the Haitian Revolution who abolished slavery and established the first Black republic.

Simón Bolívar

Liberator of northern South America, known for drafting republican constitutions and the Jamaica Letter.

Giuseppe Mazzini

Italian nationalist who founded 'Young Italy' and advocated for Italian unification.

Otto von Bismarck

German statesman known for Realpolitik and for unifying Germany through war and social reforms.

Adam Smith

Economist known for 'Wealth of Nations' promoting free markets and critiquing mercantilism.

Karl Marx

Philosopher and economist known for the 'Communist Manifesto' and his critique of capitalism.

Legal-political reforms

Changes led by Enlightenment thinkers, such as constitutions and bills of rights, ensuring civil liberties.

American Revolution

Conflict resulting in the Declaration of Independence and the establishment of a constitutional republic.

French Revolution

Revolution marked by the Declaration of the Rights of Man, advocating for equality and popular sovereignty.

Latin American Revolutions

Movements for independence marked by various constitutions and liberal ideals, often with social hierarchies.

Enlightenment critics

Philosophers who challenged existing norms regarding authority, religion, and individual rights.

Industrial Britain's advantages

Included abundant resources, political stability, capital for investment, and a skilled workforce.

Technological innovations of Industrial Revolution

Key advancements included textile mechanization and steam engines that transformed production.

Labor organizations

Groups such as early unions that emerged to advocate for workers' rights and protections.

Socialist and communist critiques

Arguments highlighting the exploitation of labor and advocating for collective solutions to inequality.

Urban living conditions

Characterized by overcrowding, pollution, and disease, leading to sanitation improvements.

Women's rights movements

Movements gaining traction during industrialization advocating for equal rights for women.

Impact of industrial revolution on standards of living

Histories witnessing declines in poverty, increases in education, and improvements in public health.