Enlightenment Thinkers Flashcards
What were the goals of the Enlightenment thinkers?
Find natural laws that governed human society
Thomas Hobbes
English philosopher who advocated for divine rights of king due to his view on human nature
Hobbes’ view on human nature
People are irrational + self-destructing; Need powerful government or else life would be “nasty”
Who wrote the Leviathan?
Hobbes
The Leviathan
Defending of absolute monarchy; Belief in a monarchy as the most ideal form of government
Who was John Locke and what did he advocate for?
English philosopher who advocated for natural rights of people and constitutional governments where sovereignty resides in people
What three natural rights did John Locke believe a government must protect?
Rights of life, liberty, and property
What was Locke’s view on government?
He believed that power derives from the governed + government could never take away our natural rights + government should protect people’s rights
Contract theory of government
Locke’s view on the government = Government exists only by the consent of the people in order to protect basic rights and promote the common good of society
What was Locke’s view on human nature?
Neither good or bad
What theories did Locke attack?
Ideas that monarchs have a divine right to rule
According to Locke, what happens to rulers who violates person rights to life, liberty, and property?
Overthrown + replace ruler
Result of Locke’s ideologies
Relocated sovereignty (from rulers to people)
Adam Smith
Scottish philosopher who argued that the only way to make a nation wealthy is to let entrepreneurs to compete with no rules / regulations; Promoted capitalism / free market
Capitalism / Free market
Individuals were allowed to pursue their own interests with less government intervention
Constitutional monarchy
A system of government that is ruled by a king or queen whose power is limited by its country’s constitution
What happened during the Glorious Revolution, and what did Locke think of it?
During the Glorious Revolution the English Parliament drove out an absolute monarch, King James II. Parliament replaced him with 2 constitutional monarchs, William and Mary. Locke was strongly in favor of the revolution and even became an advisor to Mary.
Montesquieu
French nobleman who advocated for the separation of power in government to prevent any 1 person / group from becoming oppressive
What aspects of U.S. government do we owe to the French thinker Montesquieu?
Separation of powers + checks and balances
What book advocates for Montesquieu’s view?
Spirit of the Laws
Who / what did Locke support?
Glorious Revolution + English Bill of Rights
Voltaire
French philosophe who was a staunch advocate for freedom of thought in all forms: speech, religion, assembly, etc
What did Voltaire support?
Individual freedom
What institutions did Voltaire attack?
Any institutions supporting intolerance + oppressive policies (French monarchy + Roman Catholic Church)
Voltaire’s view on RCC?
Considered the church an agent of oppression (“crushed the damned thing”) + is responsible for fanaticism + intolerance + incalculable human suffering
Deism
People who believe in God - don’t agree with supernatural teachings; Believes God created Earth, didn’t create laws, no personal interest + intervention in human world
Views on aristocrats
Made no more contribution to society than workers -> Condemned their legal + social privileges
Most prominent advocate for political equality and why?
Rousseau because he identified with the working people + resented privileged of the elite class
Who wrote the Social Contract?
JJR (Rousseau)
The Social Contract
Argued that all people are born with certain natural rights and that people joined societies in order to advance their own interests, not sacrifice them. Since this is the purpose of government – to serve the needs of the people - authority originates with them, NOT from rulers, traditions, or God
JJR (Rousseau)
Promoted popular sovereignty; Believed in a society where everyone would participate in the creation of law
Rousseau’s view on women
Girls’ education should prepare them to become devoted wives and mothers
Popular sovereignty
Idea that power originates with the ruled
View on women peasants / laborers / enslaved people / people of color
Did not envision a society where they would share political rights
Who wrote the Candide?
Voltaire
Candide
Through satire, Voltaire defends the right to think, speak, and act freely in the pursuit of truth and justice
Who wrote the Wealth of Nations?
Adam Smith
Wealth of Nations
Argued that individuals should make decisions about what to buy and sell based on their natural self-interest -> more efficient use of human labor than if government directed their actions, and society would prosper as if guided by an “invisible hand.” - natural process, not divine
Laissez-faire
Absence of government intervention in the workings of the free market - Freedom to make economic decisions
Denis Diderot
Wrote the Encyclopedia
Encyclopedia
Book that took power of information from government + people of power and gave to people (contain hidden information about modern tech)
Result of the Encyclopedia
Brings doubt to Christianity + sexism;
Questions divine right of kings
Mercantilism
Economic system that favored exports over imports - controlled by government - Helped develop absolutism; Wealthy only if take wealth from another
Free market / capitalism / laissez faire
Flow of commerce without government intervention; Private individuals compete with others to produce goods for profit; Both domestic and foreign trade
