enlightenment

enlightenment

philosophical movement beginning in france that advocated reason and logic as the basis of authority

religious sphere

separation of church and statese

political sphere

major influence of the us bill of rights

salons

underground clubs in which philosophers met to discuss

sovereignty

political supremacy and authority to rule (e.g. mandate of heaven in china or divine right in early modern europe)

social contract

agreement between rulers and the subjects defining the rights and dutieis of each

natural rights

rights that belonged to all humans from birth (life, liberty, property)

monarchies

rules by a king/queen guided by honor

republics

rules by elected officials guided by virtue

despotisms

rules by absolute dictators guided by fear

leviathan

book published by thomas hobbes communicating ideas of social contract

diderot

28 volume set of books, called the encyclopedia

--> used to change the general way of thinking

censorship

restricting access to ideas and information

natural law

rules discovered by reason

laissez faire

operation of businesses without government interference

enlightened despots

leaders who embraces enlightened philosophies

revelation

something revealed by god to humans

jean jacque rousseau

government's job is to help people be happy & care for them

society corrupts people

thomas hobbes

people are naturally wicked, thus need to surrender their independence to an absolute leader in exchange for law and order

boron de montesquieu

developed idea of separation of power: power in govt must be divided amongst different branches

checks and balances & safeguards from govt are necessary to keep govt from being too powerful

john locke

constitutional govt: sovereignty resides in people

govt existed to protect natural rights (life, liberty, property)

voltaire

argued for religious tolerance & separation of church and state; no official state religion

championed individual freedom --> attacked institutions with intolerant or oppressive policies (strongly believed in freedom of speech)

adam smith

free market; supported laissez faire

value of nation's productive power (law of supply and demand) is better indication of national wealth than gold or silver.

wollstonecraft

urged women to be in male professions (doctors, politicians, teachers)

deism

belief in existence of god, but the world is operated by humans with ration and natural laws

overall impacts of the enlightenment

weakened influence of organized religions

encouraged secular values on reason

caused society to have rational analysis --> promoted progress