ENLIGHTENMENT

 

1680-1715 Pre-Enlightenment

 

England: impact of Scientific Revolution: Newton; Locke on Government

               Addison & Steele “The Spectator” daily journal

France: Fontenelle: first philosophe (Copernican)

                  1686 Talks on the Plurality of Worlds

             Pierre Bayle Huguenot skeptic

                      1697 Historical and Critical Dictionary

 

1715-1748 Early Enlightenment:  search for laws of society and morality


VOLTAIRE   François-Marie Arouet 1726-29 exile in England

1733 Letters on the English Nation: Locke, Newton

Enlightened despotism as political model

                  1750-53 Prussia: patronage of Frederick II 

                   writes history of The Century of Louis XIV

1755 Lisbon earthquake:  followed by writing of Candide

1761 CALAS AFFAIR: execution of Huguenot merchant, Jean Calas,

                                   on charges of murdering son over conversion

1765 posthumous rehabilitation of Calas

 

ENLIGHTENMENT POLITICAL THOUGHT:  basic models

 

1) ENLIGHTENED DESPOTISM - reform from above

             Frederick the Great of Prussia, Voltaire, Kant

2) CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY – aristocratic

             England after 1688 as model; Montesquieu as spokesman

Baron de Montesquieu 1689-1755

          Nobleman: member of provincial parlement of Bordeaux

          Political context: Regency of Philippe d’Orleans 1715-1723

                                     “libertine” reaction after death of Louis XIV

Writings:

        1721 Persian Letters: - published anonymously in Holland

          central theme = custom versus nature:  Persians travelling in Europe

                    cultural critique of custom & tradition as irrational

                    political critique of “Oriental despotism” & French absolutism

                    religious critique of Christianity

        1734 Considerations on the Cause of the Greatness of the Romans & their Decline

                   - moralizing view of Roman republic (virtue, strength) & Empire (corruption)

        1748 The Spirit of the Laws – laws of nature and natural justice:

                    attempt at a science of society,” based on politics

          kinds of government: based on different underlying principles: 

                       monarchy /honor;   democracy /virtue;  despotism /fear

          separation of powers (adapted from Locke): executive, judicial, legislative

          variability of political systems: due to local variations, especially climate

 

ENLIGHTENMENT AS PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE
NATURE as source of reason and morality (Locke)

ENCYCLOPEDIA 1751-1772
        Editors: Denis Diderot and D'Alembert
        collective project; practical, technical knowledge
        direct study of nature, empirical observation
        natural laws seen as moral laws

ECONOMIC THOUGHT: anti-mercantilist, free trade

FRENCH PHYSIOCRATS
        pursuit of individual good = general good
        agriculture as essential source of wealth
        commerce: free trade, against customs, tariffs
        slogan: "laissez-faire, laissez-passer."
Francois Quesnay Economic Table 1758

ENGLAND
        CLASSICAL LIBERALISM = free trade
        ADAM SMITH, Wealth of Nations 1776
                "hidden hand" governs market
                reconciles individual & collective good
        UTILITARIANS: JEREMY BENTHAM
                individual pursuit of pleasure, profit leads to
                "greatest good of the greatest number"