CHY4U West & the World Good Website: http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/ENLIGHT/ENLIGHT.

HTM

Legacy: The West & The World - Chapter 4 The Enlightenment

th
Euro Society in 18 Century Industrial Revolution
- pop growth (less wars, less epidemics, - 1750s: gradual series of changes in agric, trade, industry
better hygiene) - inventions= changes in labour needs = urbanization
- corn & potatoes stabilized food supply - Dr. Francois Quesnay (Laissez-faire- no interference)…
- more people, more movement to cities need for luxury items and consumerism for good of
Agricultural Revolution & Enclosure economy. Voltaire “the superfluous is necessary”
- new techniques used in farming (crop - commercial capitalism increased… > trade
rotation, fertilizers, etc… led to great - nobility was weakening... after Louis XIV died in 1715…
changes throughout Europe beyond many monarchs thought nobility too greedy
farming). Europe after Louis XIV
- Enclosure: new system of land - conflicts among monarchs and powerful families resulted
distribution… landowners reclaiming from attempts to increase land and commercial advantage.
common land, renting out in strips… - military decisions made by monarchs & aristocrats with
redistribution led to rioting in some areas, little care for populace.
eco & demographic changes. - main element was balance of power in Europe.

Enlightenment Ideas The Enlightenment

- not accepted everywhere- Church still resisted (eg - most people were concerned with themselves &
Spanish Inquisition). Br., Fr., Holland, Denmark… family… yet new people started to concern
enlightenment ideas spread… most other areas met themselves with the welfare of the people/society as a
various resistance… Ottomans were not exposed to whole: these people came to be known as
most ideas. Power holders resisted new ideas as a intellectuals. Thinkers of the Enlightenment in
threat… people like Voltaire were disliked by France were called philosophes (philosophers).
conservatives because of his anticlericalism. - freedom of thought, free market, rationalism,
- criticized unquestioned obedience to authority optimism, progress. Human rights: public education,
- Deism: philosophical trend – God did not freedom of thought, abolition of slavery, etc…
participate in human affairs. increased literacy & books = widespread access to
- “my mind is my church” these new ideas.
- Encyclopedia: France 1751- provided info on all
subjects… embodied ideals of enlightenment.
Enlightened Despotism
Frederick the Great (1740-1786)
ruler of Prussia: ‘enlightened Art, Music & Literature
despot’. ART Classicism: Baroque Art can be seen as a reaction to
- an absolute ruler but acts with Renaissance… dynamic, grandiose, emotional… Classicism was a
reason reaction to Baroque… felt it was too emotional, preferred ideal world
Catherine the Great (1762-1796) of classical Greece.
Empress of Russia. Considered Rococo: more in tune with smaller spaces as opposed to the opulence
one of Europe’s most successful of Louis XIV Palace of Versailles. Style of the Salons.
monarchs, brought Russia to MUSIC Baroque: Bach, Handel… Classical: Haydn, Mozart,
major power status in the world. Schubert, Beethoven… in 18th C Opera became popular.
Yet, she did not free the largest LIT Critical as a social commentary. Famous writers such as Alexander
part of her population: the serfs. Pope, Jonathan Swift, Samuel Johnson were extraordinary.
Enlightenment Thinkers

John Locke (1632-1704) Baron de Montesquieu (1689-1755)

-defended need for elected gov’t - Book Spirit of Laws: laws are: “the necessary
- leave “state of nature” people will enjoy relationships deriving from the nature of things”. Politics
life more in a well ordered society where is key.
gov’t looked after its people. - influenced by Asian and classical thought.
-Locke heavily influenced Am - importance was in his broad scope.
Revolution: “right to life, liberty, and
the pursuit of happiness
Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778)
- moral reform of society. Did not accept idea that
Cesare Beccaria (1738-1794) humanity was improving. The Social Contract:
- Le Café: like salons but without invitation… “Man was born free, and everywhere he is in
On Crimes and Punishment. Called for end to chains”. Put forward concepts of “Common
capital punishment & judicial torture. Good” & “General Will”.
- Yet was resisted by many religious & others
that liked torture
Voltaire (1694-1778)
- defended tolerance & attacked religious piety.
Immanuel Kant (1723-1804) - early in life confrontational toward
- studied ethics, logic, metaphysics…. establishment. Later championed victims of
Book written, Critique of Pure Reason. injustice.
- like Voltaire, Kant saw “religious - 1753- historical revolution… need evidence as
matters” – and freedom from bigotry proof. Big Impact
and superstition – at the heart of
enlightenment.
Edmund Burke (1729-1797)
- conservative viewpoint
Adam Smith (1723-1790) - concerned about speed of French
- Most famous economist of the time. Revolution… believed in importance of
- Need for free trade, market should be regulated by established traditions & institutions.
competition and supply/demand. Against Mercantilism. - believed society was a contract between
- The Wealth of Nations. Described a capitalist system. everyone.
Was an optimist. But industrialists later used theories to
legitimize exploitation of the working classes.
Marquis de Concorcet (1743-1794)
- welcomed Fr. Revolution, critic of
ancient regime… died in prison
Johann Gottfried von Herder (1744-1803) - forced into hiding during the Reign of
- believed in nationalism & differences Terror. Wrote that the enemies of clear
between people. thinking were priests
- opposed to the individual, liberal contract
theory of society advanced by the
philosophes. The Marquise du Chatelet (1706-1749)
- influenced by Rousseau… binds of - respected intellectual, long time companion of
community… saw the link in language…. Voltaire. Had opportunities that few women had.
His ideals bcame the rallying cry of the - Wrote about the discrimination against women.
destructive nationalism of the 19th C. - Book Institutions met with excitement by
philosophers… leading intellectual of the day.