The Enlightenment: Crash Course European History #18

Overview of the Seventeenth Century

• The seventeenth century was marked by significant political changes and warfare during the Little Ice Age.

• While history often emphasizes political and military stories, substantial shifts in everyday perceptions also occurred.

Changing Perceptions of Natural Events

• Historical linkage between natural phenomena (e.g., earthquakes, eclipses) and human events dates back to early human history.

• Example: 1648 earthquake in Istanbul seen as a portent of the sultan's death.

• Contrast with the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, where theologians debated divine punishment versus observed consequences.

• Voltaire's response through poetry captured changing European views, moving from religious explanations to rational investigation.

The Enlightenment

• Definition: A cultural and intellectual movement emphasizing reason and rational thinking over tradition.

• It encompassed broader themes than just scientific inquiry, affecting social classes, trade, and governance.

• Enlightenment thinkers challenged outdated traditions, striving for a more rational society.

Everyday Life and Commodities

• Increased novelty in everyday life with the introduction of commodities like coffee, tea, chocolate, and tobacco.

• Examples of cultural adaptation:

  • An English housewife mistaking tea for pie filling.

  • A diplomat noted that tea and coffee brought greater sobriety and civility.

• The advent of new food crops from the Americas (e.g., potatoes, corn) increased food security and calorie availability.

• Shift in perception regarding the potential for societal nourishment and stability.

Social Structures and Travel

• Thousands of Europeans traveled globally, altering their perceptions of social orders.

• Observations: Other cultures demonstrated less quarreling and hierarchical structures.

• Travelers noted that social status could depend less on parentage and more on individual skills.

Thinkers of the Enlightenment

• Montesquieu:

  • Critiqued outdated social norms through his book "Persian Letters" (1721), depicting European customs as amusing.

• Voltaire:

  • A prominent critic of aristocracy and advocate for honesty, his works like "Candide" called into question the premise of a benevolent world.

  • Voltaire's sharp wit ridiculed corruption and injustice, urging a simpler, honest life.

Educational Reforms and Values

• Jean-Jacques Rousseau:

  • Advocated for educational reform through his novel "Emile" (1762), promoting a natural upbringing away from traditional rote learning.

  • Emphasized middle-class values of practicality and domesticity for women.

• Enlightenment salons emerged, fostering discussion about new ideas, books, and philosophies among educated women.

Fashion and Cultural Change

• Shifts in fashion reflected the Enlightenment's embrace of naturalness—men wore simpler styles, distinct from aristocratic attire.

• The popularity of cotton from India and styles like banyans marked a move away from prior fashion norms.

• Increased availability of literature, such as the "Encyclopédie," encouraged widespread discussion of social issues, including rights and the status of women.

Philosophical Impacts and Reforms

• Enlightenment thinkers like David Hume prioritized reason over religion, labeling belief in God as superstition.

• Adam Smith critiqued mercantilism, advocating for free trade and individual economic interests to promote societal prosperity.

• Rousseau's "The Social Contract" highlighted the balance between individual freedom and loyalty to the collective will of the state.

• Immanuel Kant championed the individual's capacity to think independently, embodying Enlightenment values of reason and inquiry.

Social Movements and Human Rights

• Enlightenment ideals fueled movements against slavery, highlighting its cruelty and injustice.

• Olaudah Equiano, a freed slave, used his memoir to advocate against slavery and promote human rights.

Conclusion

• Despite its imperfections, the Enlightenment fundamentally transformed views on equality and justice.

• Shifted perspectives on natural disasters: earthquakes began to be viewed through humanitarian rather than purely religious lenses.

• The Enlightenment allowed for conceptualizations of better societies beyond the limitations of the current world.