ENLIGHTENMENT

The Enlightenment

An intellectual movement that focused on reason and thought to explain the universe; Reason was the focus of discussion and its application through the scientific method.

Philosophe

The intellectuals of the Enlightenment: writers, professors, economists, and reformers who applied reason to understand science, politics, economics, and social issues.

Salon

A social gathering of intellectuals and artists held in the homes of wealthy women in Paris and other European cities during the Enlightenment.

John Locke

Every person is born with a blank slate and is molded by their environment; by adjusting the environment an ideal society can be created; all people have natural rights and it's the job of the government to protect these rights; the government's power comes from people.

Montesquieu

Sought to use the scientific method to identify the natural laws that govern political and social relationships; advocated for governments with separation of powers (executive, legislative, judicial) to prevent one person from gaining too much power.

Voltaire

Known as the greatest figure of the Enlightenment; an advocate of religious tolerance; championed Deism; a prolific writer through pamphlets, novels, plays, essays and histories.

Diderot

The chief editor of the Encyclopedia published between 1751-1772; known as the Bible of The Enlightenment creating a compendium of knowledge.

Adam Smith

Scottish moral philosopher and a pioneer of political economics; known today as the father of Capitalism; wrote On the Wealth of Nations in 1776; believed in free markets and limited government.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Presented the concept known as the Social Contract: an ideal society that agrees to be governed by its own will; each community member votes and the majority becomes law.

natural rights

People are born with certain rights, life, liberty, and property that no government can take from you.

absolute monarchy

The king has power over everyone including the economy, religion, social, and political characteristics of a country; this system was put into question by the enlightenment's belief in equality.

divine right

The King rules by God's will.

separation of powers

The assignment of executive, legislative, and judicial powers to different groups of official power; concept introduced by Montesquieu.

social contract

Rousseau's proposal for an organized society in which people enter into an agreement accepting a powerful government in exchange for their freedom, the following of the general will of a people.

Deism

A popular Enlightenment-era belief that there is a God, but that God is not involved in people's lives or in revealing truths to prophets; God is like a watchmaker who created the universe and then set it in motion without intervening further.

laissez-faire economics

Theory that opposes governmental interference in economic affairs beyond what is necessary to protect life and property; allows business to run without government interference.