The enlightenment

Enlightenment

An 18th century intellectual and cultural movement focused on reason, science, and individualism.

Thomas Hobbes

A political theorist who argued that humans are innately selfish and supported an authoritarian government.

Leviathan

Hobbes' book that argues for a strong, centralized authority due to humanity's selfish nature.

Absolutist Monarchy

A form of government where the monarchy has absolute power, not checked by a parliament or the populace.

John Locke

An Enlightenment thinker who believed in natural rights and that individuals are born as 'tabula rasa'.

Natural Rights

Rights that all individuals are entitled to, including life, liberty, and property, according to Locke.

Tabula Rasa

A Latin phrase meaning 'blank slate', used by Locke to describe the mind of a newborn.

Voltaire

An Enlightenment thinker who advocated for religious tolerance and criticized traditional organized religion.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

A philosopher who proposed the social contract and believed society could enslave free men.

Checks and Balances

Montesquieu's concept that divides governmental power among different branches to prevent abuse.

Denis Diderot

An Enlightenment thinker known for compiling the Encyclopedia to disseminate knowledge.

Mary Wollstonecraft

An early feminist who wrote 'A Vindication of the Rights of Woman', advocating for women’s education and rights.

Capitalism

An economic system regulated by supply, demand, and competition, as proposed by Adam Smith.

Laissez-Faire

An economic principle of minimal government intervention in economic affairs.

Deism

The belief in a creator who does not intervene in daily life, associated with Voltaire's views on religion.

Skepticism

A philosophical approach to questioning the validity of knowledge and beliefs, especially in religious contexts.