The Enlightenment: Key Ideas, Thinkers, and Impact
The Enlightenment: An Age of Reason
The Enlightenment was an 18th-century intellectual and cultural movement that questioned the foundations of the Ancien Régime. Enlightenment thinkers championed reason as the primary means of understanding the world. They rejected anything that could not withstand rational scrutiny as deception and falsehood. Tolerance was considered fundamental to human relations, and religious intolerance was strongly criticized. They believed that education and progress would improve living conditions. The era was dubbed “The Century of Lights” because 18th-century philosophers believed that the light of reason would dispel the shadows of ignorance after centuries of obscurantism.
Key Ideas of the Enlightenment
Key Ideas of Enlightenment Intellectual Movement
- Reason: Understood as human rationality capable of illuminating darkness and societal errors.
- Progress: Viewed as the advancement of knowledge, enabling civilization to control nature and generate well-being and wealth.
- Happiness: Considered an individual right and a societal goal that leaders were obligated to facilitate.
The Ancien Régime
The Ancien Régime was the term used by critics of the old order, particularly during the French Revolution, to disparagingly describe the political and social structure of France. It represented the old, antiquated, and outdated system that they sought to replace with a new and improved one. Throughout the 19th century, the Ancien Régime was gradually superseded by capitalist class society.
Absolute Monarchy
ABSOLUTE MONARCHY: Louis XIV of France (5 September 1638 – 1 September 1715), known as Louis the Great (Louis le Grand) or the Sun King (le Roi Soleil).
There was a progressive increase in population, and demographic trends shifted between 1650 and 1700.
Main Thinkers of the Enlightenment
- Montesquieu (1689-1755): Proposed the separation of powers (legislative, executive, and judicial).
- Voltaire (1694-1778): Advocated for a parliament to limit the monarch’s power and ensure fiscal justice.
- Rousseau (1712-1778): Emphasized the need for a social contract (constitution) between the ruler and the people.
The Encyclopédie
The Encyclopédie, a comprehensive collection of knowledge, was published between 1751 and 1772, consisting of 20 volumes edited by Diderot.
Women in the Enlightenment
Notable women who contributed to the Enlightenment include:
- Émilie du Châtelet (1706-1749)
- Maria Gaetana Agnesi (1718-1799)
- Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797)
Enlightened Despotism
Among the most prominent enlightened despots were:
- Frederick II (the Great) of Prussia
- Catherine II (the Great) of Russia
- Maria Theresa of Austria
- Charles III of Spain
- Gustav III of Sweden
However, these rulers did not want the people to participate in decision-making.
Spanish Enlightenment Figures
Key figures of the Spanish Enlightenment:
- Jovellanos
- Floridablanca
- Pablo de Olavide
- Campomanes
- Marqués de Ensenada
- Conde de Aranda
Parliamentary Monarchy and the American Revolution
In England, Habeas Corpus (1679) guaranteed individual liberties and prevented arbitrary arrest by the king.
In 1689, the Bill of Rights was proclaimed, limiting the powers of the monarch and subjecting certain decisions to parliament.
On July 4th, 1776, the Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson, was proclaimed.
The war concluded in 1783, and George Washington was declared the first president.
In 1787, the Constitution of the United States was finalized.
The United States won the War of Independence against Great Britain and declared itself a federal republic, granting significant power to the president while allowing each federal state considerable autonomy in areas such as justice, education, and security.
War of Spanish Succession
The last Habsburg (Charles II) died in 1700, leading to the War of Spanish Succession (1701-1714), a conflict between Philip of Bourbon (France) and Charles of Habsburg (Austria) for the Spanish throne.