Europe in the 18th Century: Enlightenment, Revolution, and Absolutism

Posted on Mar 9, 2025 in History

The European Landscape in the 18th Century

The 18th century, often called the Age of Enlightenment, was a period of significant change in Europe. Key aspects of this era include:

  1. The rise of scientific and experimental thought, challenging traditional dogmatism.
  2. A growing emphasis on individual freedom and human rights.
  3. The decline of absolutism as a political system.
  4. Significant economic and social changes driven by the Industrial Revolution.
  5. A widespread belief in the power of human reason to solve problems.
  6. The profound influence of Isaac Newton’s work on universal gravitation.

The Philosophy of the Enlightenment

The Enlightenment fostered new perspectives on the world, leading to doctrines and political principles that fueled events like the American Revolution, the French Revolution, and the rise of economic liberalism. These ideas contributed to the fall of absolutism.

Key Enlightenment Philosophers

  • Rousseau
  • Montesquieu
  • Locke
  • Voltaire

Absolutism Defined

Absolutism is a political system where power is concentrated in a single person or group.

Modern Perception of Absolutism

Today, absolutism is often associated with dictatorships and is seen as the opposite of constitutional government in democratic systems.

Checks on Absolute Power

Constitutional limitations in democratic countries prevent governments from becoming absolute. Power is typically divided into executive, legislative, and judicial branches.

Economic Liberalism Explained

Economic liberalism, as theorized by Adam Smith, posits that wealth is based on labor, which should be valued. Individuals should pursue the work that best suits them.

The Rise of the Bourgeoisie

The bourgeoisie, or upper class, gained political and economic power through the principles of liberalism promoted by Enlightenment philosophers. The decline of absolutism allowed this class to become wealthier and more dominant.

The Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution was a transformative process that shifted societies from traditional agricultural economies to those characterized by mechanized production and large-scale manufacturing.

Ideological and Political Shifts During Bolivar’s Time

Revolutionary ideas spread through the press, inspiring significant changes:

Key Changes:

  • Liberalism as an ideology and the crisis of absolutism, championed by Adam Smith, emphasizing individual rights to work.
  • The independence of the United States and the French Revolution, which served as examples and influenced the liberal thinking of Simón Bolívar.

Bolivar’s Familiarity with Enlightenment Thought

  1. Bolívar, as a member of the Creole aristocracy, had access to an education that included Enlightenment ideals.
  2. He witnessed significant historical events, such as Napoleon’s coronation and the signing of American independence, which inspired him.
  3. He had access to encyclopedic information and befriended famous philosophers and scientists like Humboldt.
  4. He was an avid reader.
  5. He had excellent teachers, including Simón Rodríguez and Andrés Bello.

The Crisis of Absolutism: A Process

  1. Discontent arose from absolutism due to hunger, distress, and social unrest.
  2. New ideas of liberty, peace, equality, justice, and fraternity emerged.
  3. Legal reforms were created to regulate power.
  4. Despotism, where kings attempted to conceal their failures by granting limited rights inspired by Enlightenment ideals (such as public enlightenment), proved insufficient.

Major Revolutionary Movements of the 18th Century

  • French Revolution (1789)
  • American Revolution (1776)
  • Haitian Revolution (1802-1806)

American Independence Explained

American Independence was promoted by bourgeois sectors and wealthy Southern planters, led by figures like John Adams, George Washington, and Thomas Jefferson. Influenced by Locke’s philosophy, the Declaration of Independence, written by Jefferson and adopted on July 4th in Philadelphia, outlined principles formulated by French Enlightenment thinkers, establishing the first truly democratic nation based on nature and reason.