LQ 2: Enlightenment - Con. Of 1791 Flashcards
What were tenets of the Enlightenment?
- It was an optimistic age.
- The leaders of the Enlightenment looked forward to the discovery if all the natural laws of the universe.
- They believed in reason and education.
What was the Enlightenment?
It was “the age of human reasoning.” It represented a shift from tradition and faith to evidence and reason.
What were leaders of the Enlightenment called?
Philosophes. The founding fathers were among them.
What is deism?
It is the belief in god, but not religion. Deists saw god as a clockmaker - he made the universe, set it in motion, and let it move on its own from there.
Who were physiocrats?
They were people trying to uncover the natural laws of economics.
What does “Laissez-faire” refer to?
If refers to a free market economic policy. It essentially means a hands off approach for the government
Who was Adam Smith and what is he famous for?
He was famous for writing “The Wealth of Nations” which talked about the ‘invisible hand’ of the free market. He argued that people should pursue their self-interests when it comes to economics and that an economy works best when people do just that.
Who, and in what writing, implicitly described a social contract?
Thomas Hobbes in his book “Leviathan.”
Who explicitly describes a social contract, and what is it?
John Locke. Individuals in an ordered society must give up some freedom to a government and in return, the government will keep them safe.
What “self-evident truths” does the constitution refer to?
Unalienable rights.
John Locke argued people have the right to do what?
He argued that people have the right to rebel when a government oversteps its bounds.
What is the natural tendency for governments, speaking of power?
Governments tend to grow larger and more powerful with time, slowly taking away the rights of its citizens.
What is “Spirit of Laws” about and by whom was it written?
It was written by Montesquieu and it argued that the only way to protect liberty is via checks and balances in government.
What is enlightened despotism?
It is a form of government in which monarchs pursue reforms inspired by the Enlightenment.
How did things look in France in the summer of 1789? Why did it look that way? (3 reasons)
Things looked bad and hopeless.
- There was a famine in France due to poor harvests.
- The leaders of France were bad and people had little confidence in them.
- France was bankrupt from several costly wars.