The Enlightenment
Enlightenment -- A movement where philosophes used nature, science and reason and applied them to ideas about how government should work.
People would meet in salons (basically women would host parties where people would discuss intellectual ideas).
Why is it important – These ideas helped to inspire the colonists to revolt and shaped our political system, which is still in place today.
Major Enlightenment Thinkers/Ideas about Human Nature and Government
Thomas Hobbes
Grew up during the English Civil War when there was chaos, saw lots of violence
Believed Humans were selfish and wicked
Needed government to keep order
People enter into a social contract, where they give up rights to a strong ruler in exchange for law and order
The best government was an absolute monarchy where one person could impose order and demand obedience.
John Locke
Humans were reasonable
People could learn from experience, improve themselves
People were capable of looking after the welfare of society
Every person is free and equal and born with natural rights to life, liberty and property.
The purpose of government is to protect natural rights – if a government does not protect these rights to life, liberty and property the people could overthrow that government.
Rousseau
People are born good but civilization corrupts people’s goodness
Humans exist best in a “state of nature”
No government is the best government
Women’s education is secondary to men, should concentrate on being good wives and mothers
Montesquieu
Power needs to be checked by power
There needs to be a separation of powers in government and a system of checks and balances
Voltaire
Promoted the ideas of tolerance, freedom, and freedom of speech through plays, histories, and fiction.
Beccaria
The purpose of law is to preserve social order NOT to avenge crimes
Against the practice of torture
Believed people had the right to a speedy trial
The degree of punishment should be based on the seriousness of the crime
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