The Enlightenment
Mary Wollstonecraft, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman
the foundation of modern-day feminist philosophy. Addresses sensibility and rational education. Sensibility - During this time, sensibility was a physical phenomenon that came to be attached to women. - Physicians and anatomists believed that the more sensitive people's nerves, the more emotionally affected they would be by their surroundings. - Since women were thought to have keener nerves than men, it was also believed that women were more emotional than men. Rational education - Women should be educated in a rational manner to give them the opportunity to contribute to society. --During this time, it was assumed that women were incapable f rational or abstract thought. Women were too susceptible to sensibility and too fragile to be able to think clearly. --Wollstonecraft argued that women were capable of rational thought and deserved to be educated. Wollstonecraft attacked writers and philosophers such as Jean-Jaques Rousseau who argued that a woman does not need a rational education. - Rousseau, Emile Wives could be the rational companions of their husbands and even pursue careers should they so choose. Two problems with Enlightenment Thinkers - Arbitrary power of monarchs over their subjects was wrong. - Men's power over women was wrong. Enlightenment is based on the ideal of reason in all human beings. - Women have reason, they are entitled to the same rights as men. - Women should have equal rights in education, economic and political life.
Natural Rights
the idea that all humans are born with rights: the right to life, liberty, and property according to john locke
Denis Diderot, Encyclopédie
"Encyclopedia" Representative of the thoughts of the Enlightenment. Created to change the way people think. Often seen as an influence for the French Revolution because of its emphasis on Enlightenment political theories. - Diderot and other authors, in famous articles such as "Political Authority", emphasized the shift of the origin of political authority from divinity or heritage to the people.
Absolute Monarchy
A system of government in which the head of state is a hereditary position and the king or queen has almost complete power
Reign of Terror
A systematic program to suppress all opposition. Those in power would use the guillotine to kill anyone who caused any sort of problem or opposition.
Jean Jacques Rousseau, Emile
A treatise on the nature of education and on the nature of man. Describe a system of education that would enable the natural man he identifies in The Social Contract to survive corrupt society. - He illustrates how such an ideal citizen might be educated. Emile is a detailed guide that contains some specific advice on raising children. - Teach a child according to their strengths. - Education should foster a child's natural instincts. Rousseau did not practice what he preached and viewed women differently from men.
John Locke, Essay Concerning Human Understanding
An essay concerning the foundation of human knowledge and understanding -Argued every person was born with a ---"tabula rasa" tabula rasa = blank slate --knowledge comes to it through the five senses. Book I There are not innate (inborn/natural) ideas Book II Every idea is derived from experience and sensation Book III -Concerned with language and words -Man is unique in being able to frame sounds into distinct words and to signify ideas by those words, and then that these words are built into language. Book IV How knowledge and ideas come together.
Jean Jacques Rousseau, The Social Contract
Argues that laws are binding only when they are supported by the general will of the people. Inspired political revolutions in Europe, especially in France. - Argued against the idea that monarchs were divinely empowered to legislate. --Divine Right Through a social contract, an entire society agrees to be governed by its general will. Individuals who want to stray are forced to abide by the rules. Liberty is achieved by being forced to follow this general will.
Women's March
Armed peasant women stormed the palace and demanded Louis and Marie Antoinette move from Versailles to Paris. It took place since there were rumors that Marie Antoinette was hoarding grain.
Voltaire, Treatise on Toleration
Calls for tolerance between religions. - All men are brothers under God. Follows the trial of Jean Calas - Protestant accused of murdering his son to prevent his conversion to Roman Catholicism. - Executed despite the lack of evidence - Due to the extreme injustice of the case, Voltaire tried to exonerate ---Jean Calas. This put the extreme actions of the Church on display.
Republic - Baron de Montesquieu, The Spirit of the Laws
Democratic republics, this spirit is the love of virtue - the willingness to put the interests of the community ahead of private interests. Best for small countries.
American Revolution
Enlightenments inspired Benjamin Franklin and John Adams. Influenced Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence An example of using enlightenment ideals in real life (revolted and formed their own government where "everyone" is equal)
Baron de Montesquieu, The Spirit of the Laws
Essay about political theory - Constitutional system of government - Separation of powers (checks and balances) - Preservation of the law - Preservation of civil liberties - End of slavery About how a country's government is reflective of geography and the people Montesquieu defines three main kinds of political systems: republics, monarchical, and despotic. Democracy Monarchy Despotism
Despotism - Baron de Montesquieu, The Spirit of the Laws
Finally, for despotisms, the spirit is the fear of the ruler. One absolute ruler Best for large sized countries
Monarchy - Baron de Montesquieu, The Spirit of the Laws
For monarchies, the spirit is the love of honor - the desire to attain greater rank and privilege. Best for medium sized countries
Voltaire, Candide
French satirical novel - Reflects the philosophical movement of the Enlightenment. Attacked the aristocracy and the church. Reflective of Voltaire's lifelong aversion to the church's power and the arrogance of the nobility. Strongly opposed certain Enlightenment ideas about social class.
Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen
It laid out a system of rights that applied to every person, and made those rights integral to the new constitution. Liberty, property, and security
King Louis XVI
King of France during the revolution. Was married to princess from Austria Marie Antoinette. He spent France's budget on his lifestyle. He was beheaded for treason.
Estates General
Like a "super parliament" made up of representatives from all three estates. *This meeting could only be called by the king himself
Mary Wollstonecraft, Thoughts on the Education of Daughters
Offers advice on female education to the emerging British middle class. - Talks about morality and etiquette for women. - Give basic child-rearing instructions. Explains how to educate a woman from infancy through marriage Criticizes what Wollstonecraft considers the damaging education usually offered to women: - "artificial manners" - card-playing - theater-going - emphasis on fashion
Napoleon Bonaparte
Overthrew the French revolutionary government (The Directory) and became emperor of France.
The relationship between the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment
Philosophers thought they could apply rules for thinking as they did for science
Jean Jacques Rousseau, Discourse on Inequality
Rousseau first exposes in this work his conception of a human state of nature, broadly believed to be a hypothetical thought exercise and of human perfectibility, an early idea of progress. He then explains the way, according to him, people may have established civil society, which leads him to present private property as the original source and basis of all inequality. People adopted laws and government in order to preserve their private property. People are enslaved by the government.
Salonnière
She was the hostess who ran the salon. She had to plan a gathering every week or two. The salonniere was expected to create a comfortable space for intellectual exchanges. It had to be a very pretty room. She was to serve the men who had come. They hosted to help raise their husbands social status. They were also educated.
1st Estate
The clergy, owned 10-15% of land, performed church related tasks, owned land but did not need to pay taxes
Cesare Beccaria, On Crimes and Punishments
The first critical analysis of capital punishment that demanded its abolition. Proposed a new approach to justice. Punishments should not be exercised in brutality. Opposed capital capital punishment because it did not stop others from committing crimes.
Tennis Court Oath
The promise that the third estate made with themselves until a new constitution (government) was created. It's called this since they met on a tennis court. King Louis XVI sent out his troops (indirectly attacked)
Enlightened Despotism
They ruled with an iron hand. Serfdom was abolished in some areas Torture and extreme punishments were eliminated Literacy increased Legal codes became more uniform Religious tolerance increased
Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations
Why are some countries wealthier than others? According to Adam Smith, the secret is free trade! -Laissez Faier (a hands-off economy) --Capitalism Governments often butt in and mess with free trade by banning foreign products or taxing them so much they become super expensive. If they just took their hands off the economy, the free market would make everyone a lot better off, even the poorest people in society. If governments stay out of the market, then the people who create products will always work to make the biggest profit for themselves. And if they do this, they'll always spend their time and effort making things that the public has a big demand for. Along the way, some people will get super rich, and others will stay poor, but this is just the price we must pay for human freedom and an efficient market. But it can also make the country poorer if another country can provide cheaper and better goods. If a government is hands off, what does it do? -Collection of taxes for public expenses -Gave government three basic rules --Public works should be kept up that individuals could not afford. --Army - protect society from invasion --Police - defend citizens from injustice
French Revolution
a rebellion of French people against their king, King Louis XVI
Divine Rule/Right
chosen by god to rule
3rd Estate
everybody else (bourgeoise, peasants), owned 55-65% of land (very little per person), did all the work pay lots of taxes, no privileges
Salons
gatherings of the social, political, and cultural elite, in their homes
Bourgeoisie
middle class. most unhappy with the way the estate system was set up
Guillotine
murder device that chops off head by dropping a blade
2nd Estate
rich nobles, owned 25-30% of land, provided services and collected taxes, got the best jobs, education, and paid little taxes
Philosophes
thinkers of the enlightenment
Marie Antoinette
wife of King Louis XVI, spent France's budget on her lifestyle, hoarded wheat, eventually put to the guillotine
