21.2 The Enlightenment

Salons

Elegant drawing rooms where people gathered to discuss the ideas of the philosophes

Social Contract

The concept that an entire society agrees to be governed by its general will and all individuals should be forced to abide by it since it represents what is best for the entire community

Deism

An eighteenth-century religious philosophy based on reason and natural law

Laissez Faire

The concept that the state should not impose government regulations but should leave the economy alone

Philosophe

intellectuals during the Enlightenment

Seperation of Powers

A form of government in which the executive, legislative, and judicial branches limit and control each other through a system of checks and balances

Thomas Hobbes

He believed that humans are violent by nature and that the best government is an absolute monarchy with a social contract because individual freedoms lead to chaos.

John Locke

He believed are all a blank slate, and it is your experiences in life that determine if you are good or bad. He also believed that the true basis of government is to protect and preserve the our three rights. Our rights are life, liberty, and property. 

John Locke’s Ideas in the U.S. Government

In the Declaration of Independence we see that we all have the rights to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.

Baron de Montesquieu

He believed the best model of government is one with multiple branches where power is divided. The branches should also have checks and balances to limit one another.

Baron de Montesquieu’s ideas in U.S. government

In Articles 1, 2, and 3. Our government has 3 separate branches. 

Voltaire

He believed people are allowed freedom of speech and religious tolerance.

Voltaire’s Ideas in U.S. government

In the first amendment.

Denis Diderot

He wrote the Encyclopedia to collect ideas and create a centralized source of information. 

Adam Smith

Laissez-faire. He believed the state should not interfere in economic matters. Wrote the “Wealth of Nations” about capitalism.

Adam Smith’s ideas in U.S. Government

We do not have a economy based on the government and it is not mentioned in the constitution

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Wrote the Discourse on the origins of the inequality of mankind. He believes humans are good and kind in nature. Rousseau thinks people should form a social contract with each other and that this is done with a democracy because the will of the people should be respected. He thinks society should abide by the social contract since it represents what is best for the entire community.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s ideas in U.S. Government

We are run in a democracy.

Cesare Beccaria

He believed that a person accused of a crime should never be tortured. He thinks that the punishment should fit the crime. 

Cesare Beccaria’s Ideas in U.S. Government

There are three amendments 5,6,and 8 in our Bill of Rights that specifically address the topics that Beccaria addresses.

Mary Wollstonecraft

Believed that power of men over women was wrong. Thinks that men and women should be entitled to the same rights such as education, economic, and political. 

Wollstonecraft’s ideas in U.S. Government

In the 19th amendment in our government, men and women have equal rights, but this is not immediately.