CHAPTER 2, Section 2 “Lecture Notes”
-The Enlightenment was an intellectual movement that began in France (leaders called philosphes.)
-Philosophy based upon human reasoning (if reason could lead scientists to discover secrets of universe,
then reason could also make government & society more just!)
-John Locke (English) wrote that babies were born with “blank-slate” minds. They learn everything from their environment, so it’s important to build a rational society in which children are raised with reason, not with superstitions or old traditions based on ignorance.
-Philosophes focused on optimistic themes: reason, hope, progress & natural laws and rights.
-Voltaire, was a “Parisian” and a “prolific” Enlightenment author. He was imprisoned and exiled to England for 3 years for insulting a nobleman!
-He spoke out against “censorship” (i.e. he was for freedom of speech, freedom of the press.)
-He liked England’s freer society. When he returned he criticized French institutions, so his book was banned!
-Opposed Catholic Church for supporting absolutism & traditional Christianity for not encouraging people to think rationally for themselves.
-He was a “deist” who campaigned for religious toleration, “all men are brothers under God.”
-Montesquieu (French) closely studied governments.
-He concluded the govt. of England functioned through a separation of powers into three branches:
1. executive (monarch) 2. legislative (Parliament) 3. judicial (courts)
-Each branch placed limits and controls on other branches to prevent abuse of power (checks & balances)
-Montesquieu’s ideas greatly influenced the writing of the U.S. Constitution!
-Jean-Jacques Rousseau (French) came from a poor background, wrote several essays in Paris.
-The Social Contract, Rousseau wrote that all society should be governed by the general will, which is best for everyone (those who seek their own self-interest “will be forced to be free”?!)
-Rousseau argued in Emile that education should “foster” children’s natural instincts, not restrict them.
-He believed that emotion also held a kind of truth. His goal = find a balance between emotion (the heart) and reason (the mind.)
-However, he was a male “chauvinist” who argued that women should learn obedience.
-Adam Smith (Scottish) founded the study of “economics. He believed in “laissez-faire” economics.
-The Wealth of Nations, Smith wrote that law of supply and demand works in everyone’s best economic interest.
-Cesare Beccaria (Italian) proposed new approach to justice in On Crimes and Punishments. He argued that brutal punishments did not “deter” people from committing crime. “Is it not absurd, that the laws, which punish murder, should, in order to prevent murder, publicly commit murder themselves?”
-His writings influenced the U.S. Constitution’s 8th amendment = “no cruel or unusual punishment.”
-Denis Diderot = French philosophe who published the first Encyclopedia (many copies sold!) Expanded general knowledge & spread Enlightenment ideas.
-With the advent of the printing press and larger numbers of literate people, (including women & middle class) a market was created for mass production of books, “periodicals” (magazines) & newspapers.
-Coffeehouses & salons were meeting places for reading and discussions.
-Salons were very popular & hosted by women. Salons attracted different classes to mix and share ideas. Women were able to influence political opinion and influence literary & artistic tastes in salons.
-Mary Wollstonecraft, English writer, founder of the women’s rights movement.
-A Vindication of the Rights of Women, she identified two problems w. most male Enlightenment thinkers:
1. Hypocritical = Why should women obey men, if it’s okay for men to not obey an absolutist govt.?
2. Enlightenment focused on reason and women have reason. Therefore, they too should have the same natural rights in education, economics and politics as men.
-Thomas Jefferson & James Madison (Americans) influenced by John Locke.
-Declaration of Independence = citizens justified in overthrowing a govt. that doesn’t protect people’s rights creating a new one that does!
-Americans were convinced King George III & the English Parliament were denying their natural rights!