The Enlightenment Flashcards
State of nature
An uncivilized state - a person’s natural morality
Hobbes major ideas
People are bad and selfish. State of nature is chaos. Government should be absolute monarchy. (Social contract)
Locke major ideas
People are good and reasonable. They deserve natural rights (life, liberty, and property). Government should be accepted by all/most people and protect natural rights.
Montesquieu major ideas
People are good, but should be kept under control. Three branch government so no one person has all the power. Also formed with consent from citizens and can change.
Rousseau major ideas
People are inherently good but society corrupts them. Government should be freely elected, with as little laws to allow freedom.
order of the four enlightenment thinkers
Hobbes, Locke, Montesquieu, Rousseau.
Age of reason
A book by Thomas Paine arguing for freedom of religion
The central place where the enlightenment occurred
Western Europe
Leviathan
a book by Thomas Hobbes arguing that the power a governmental control has is entirely dependent on the consent of the governed.
Voltaire
a French writer who criticized the Roman Catholic Church and slavery
Democracy
When decisions for a country are decided through vote.
Dictatorship/absolute monarchy
When one person has control over the whole country, decided by relations and not vote.
Conservatives
A group that opposes modernism and seeks to return to traditional values
Liberals
a belief in individuality, liberty, and consent of the governed
