Enlightenment Vocabulary

Natural Rights

Rights all people are born with - Life, Liberty, Propertythat cannot be taken away or given up. These rights were heavily emphasized by Enlightenment thinkers like John Locke.

Age of Reason

a period during the Enlightenment characterized by an emphasis on reason and scientific thought as a basis for understanding and improving society.

Social Reform

Tabula Rasa

The state of mind where individuals are seen as a blank slate, shaped by experiences and environment rather than innate qualities.

Humanism

a philosophical stance that emphasizes the value and agency of human beings instead of divine or supernatural matters.

Mercantilism

An economic concept that emphasizes the importance of accumulating wealth through trade and the establishment of colonies, prioritizing national strength and regulation over individual enterprise.

Laissez-Faire

The French term to say how the government should be “hands off” the economy and they shouldn’t get involved

Deism

belief in the existence of a supreme being, specifically of a creator who does not intervene in the universe.

Limited Government

A government that’s restricted by either law, a constitution, or the people. Examples include separation of powers, checks and balances, and popular sovereignty.

Absolute Rule 

A form of government where a single ruler or monarch holds all the power and authority 

Divine Rights

The Belief that power and authority is derived from God or another supernatural figure

Seperation Of Powers

splitting up the ultimate government authority such that one person does not hold all the power

Social Contract

An unwritten agreement between the government and people where the people give up some of their rights for in return for the government’s protection

Enlightened Absolutism

Where an absolute monarch uses enlightenment principles to strengthen their powers and states

Philosophe (Philospher)

A (French) intellectual or writer whose ideas focus on reasoning and social reform

Popular Sovereignty/General Will

The power comes from the people, and that the Government is created from the consent of the people