Enlightenment Thinkers

Question 1

What were the goals of the Enlightenment thinkers?

Answer 1

Find natural laws that governed human society

Question 2

Thomas Hobbes

Answer 2

English philosopher who advocated for divine rights of king due to his view on human nature

Question 3

Hobbes’ view on human nature

Answer 3

People are irrational + self-destructing; Need powerful government or else life would be “nasty”

Question 4

The Leviathan

Answer 4

Book written by Hobbes to defend absolute monarchy; Belief in a monarchy as the most ideal form of government

Question 5

John Locke

Answer 5

English philosopher who advocated for natural rights of people + constitutional governments where sovereignty resides in people

Question 6

3 natural rights Locke believed a government must protect

Answer 6

Rights of life + liberty + property;

Question 7

Locke’s view on government

Answer 7

He believed that power derives from the governed + government could never take away our natural rights + government should protect people’s rights

Question 8

Contract theory of government

Answer 8

Locke’s view on the government = Government exists only by the consent of the people in order to protect basic rights and promote the common good of society

Question 9

Locke’s view on human nature

Answer 9

Neither good or bad

Question 10

Theories that Locke attacked

Answer 10

Ideas that monarchs have a divine right to rule

Question 11

According to Locke, what happens to rulers who violates person rights to life, liberty, and property?

Answer 11

Overthrown + replace ruler

Question 12

Result of Locke’s ideologies

Answer 12

Relocated sovereignty (from rulers to people)

Question 13

Who / what did Locke support?

Answer 13

Glorious Revolution + English Bill of Rights

Question 14

Adam Smith

Answer 14

Scottish philosopher who argued that the only way to make a nation wealthy is to let entrepreneurs to compete with no rules / regulations; Promoted capitalism / free market

Question 15

Capitalism / Free market

Answer 15

Individuals were allowed to pursue their own interests with less government intervention

Question 16

Constitutional monarchy

Answer 16

A system of government that is ruled by a king or queen whose power is limited by its country’s constitution

Question 17

What happened during the Glorious Revolution, and what did Locke think of it?

Answer 17

During the Glorious Revolution the English Parliament drove out an absolute monarch, King James II. Parliament replaced him with 2 constitutional monarchs, William and Mary. Locke was strongly in favor of the revolution and even became an advisor to Mary.

Question 18

Montesquieu

Answer 18

French nobleman who advocated for the separation of power in government to prevent any 1 person / group from becoming oppressive

Question 19

What aspects of U.S. government do we owe to the French thinker Montesquieu?

Answer 19

Separation of powers + checks and balances

Question 20

Spirit of the Laws

Answer 20

Book written by Montesquieu + advocates for his view

Question 21

Voltaire

Answer 21

French philosophe who was a staunch advocate for freedom of thought in all forms: speech, religion, assembly, etc; Individual freedom

Question 22

What institutions did Voltaire attack?

Answer 22

Any institutions supporting intolerance + oppressive policies (French monarchy + Roman Catholic Church)

Question 23

Voltaire’s view on RCC

Answer 23

Considered the church an agent of oppression (“crushed the damned thing”) + is responsible for fanaticism + intolerance + incalculable human suffering

Question 24

Deism

Answer 24

People who believe in God - don’t agree with supernatural teachings; Believes God created Earth, didn’t create laws, no personal interest + intervention in human world; Very popular among ET

Question 25

Atheism

Answer 25

Complete rejection of religious beliefs + any divine being

Question 26

ET views on aristocrats

Answer 26

Made no more contribution to society than workers -> Condemned their legal + social privileges

Question 27

Jean-Jacques Rousseau (JJR)

Answer 27

Most prominent advocate for political equality because he identified with the working people + resented privileged of the elite class; Promoted popular sovereignty; Believed in a society where everyone would participate in the creation of law = direct democracy

Question 28

The Social Contract

Answer 28

Book writen by Rousseau arguing that all people are born with certain natural rights and that people joined societies in order to advance their own interests, not sacrifice them. Since this is the purpose of government – to serve the needs of the people - authority originates with them, NOT from rulers, traditions, or God

Question 29

Rousseau's view on women

Answer 29

Girls' education should prepare them to become devoted wives + mothers

Question 30

Popular sovereignty

Answer 30

Idea that power originates with the ruled / people

Question 31

Democracy

Answer 31

System where people have the right to vote + influence policies of government

Question 32

View on women peasants / laborers / enslaved people / people of color

Answer 32

Did not envision a society where they would share political rights

Question 33

Who wrote the Candide?

Answer 33

Voltaire

Question 34

Candide

Answer 34

Through satire, Voltaire defends the right to think, speak, and act freely in the pursuit of truth and justice

Question 35

Who wrote the Wealth of Nations?

Answer 35

Adam Smith

Question 36

Wealth of Nations

Answer 36

Argued that individuals should make decisions about what to buy and sell based on their natural self-interest -> more efficient use of human labor than if government directed their actions, and society would prosper as if guided by an “invisible hand." - natural process, not divine

Question 37

Laissez-faire

Answer 37

Absence of government intervention in the workings of the free market - Freedom to make economic decisions

Question 38

Denis Diderot

Answer 38

Wrote the Encyclopedia

Question 39

Encyclopedia

Answer 39

Book that took power of information from government + people of power and gave to people (contain hidden information about modern tech)

Question 40

Result of the Encyclopedia

Answer 40

Brings doubt to Christianity + sexism; Questions divine right of kings

Question 41

Mercantilism

Answer 41

Economic system that favored exports over imports - controlled by government - Helped develop absolutism; Wealthy only if take wealth from another

Question 42

Free market / capitalism / laissez faire

Answer 42

Flow of commerce without government intervention; Private individuals compete with others to produce goods for profit; Both domestic and foreign trade