Enlightenment Vocabulary & Key Thinkers: Absolutism, Social Contract, and Influences

Absolutism

A political system in which a single ruler or authority has absolute power and control over the government and its subjects.

Constitutional Monarchy

A form of government in which a monarch acts as head of state within the parameters of a constitution, which limits the powers of the monarch and outlines the rights of citizens.

Divine Right

The doctrine that kings and queens have a God-given right to rule and that rebellion against them is a sin.

Social Contract

An implicit agreement among the members of a society to cooperate for social benefits, such as mutual protection and welfare.

The Enlightenment

An intellectual and philosophical movement that dominated the world of ideas in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries, emphasizing reason, individualism, and skepticism of traditional authority.

Thomas Hobbes' opinion

Hobbes believed in a strong central authority to avoid chaos and that humans are naturally selfish; he advocated for an absolute monarchy as the best form of government.

John Locke's opinion

Locke argued for the protection of individual rights and the idea that government should be based on the consent of the governed, promoting a constitutional government.

Montesquieu's opinion

Montesquieu advocated for the separation of powers in government to prevent tyranny and protect individual liberties.

Voltaire's opinion

Voltaire championed civil liberties, freedom of speech, and religious tolerance, often criticizing the church and state.

Three impacts of the Enlightenment

1. Promotion of democratic ideals and the questioning of absolute monarchy; 2. Advances in scientific thought and the emphasis on reason; 3. Development of individual rights and freedoms that influenced revolutions.