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THE 18TH CENTURY: THE ENLIGHTENMENT - Coggle Diagram
THE 18TH CENTURY: THE ENLIGHTENMENT
The 18th century
Was a time of transition.
Between the Early Modern Age and the Modern Age in Europe.
Important changes took place which contributed to the collapse of the Ancien Régime.
The Enlightenment
Was an important intellectual movement and a new way of thinking.
Emerged in Europe during the 18th century.
Enlightenment thinkers criticised the political and social structures of the Ancien Régime.
Main principles
Learning and teaching are essential.
Reason is the only real source of knowledge.
Science and technological progress would lead to economic growth and improve people's wellbeing.
Equality and liberty are crucial.
Spread through the academies, books, newspapers and salons
D'Alembert and Diderot, created an extensive collection of writings called The encyclopedia.
The Enlightenment in Spain
Were spread by a group of thinkers and politicians that included Jovellanos and the Conde de Floridablanca.
Wanted
To reverse the decline that had begun under the Lesser Hapsburgs.
To promote Spain's economic, scientific and cultural development.
Spread establishing schools and academies and special associations.
Public institutions were created.
Encountered resistance from most of the nobility, the church and from many people who defended their traditional way of life.
The political ideas of the Enlightenment
Enlightenment thinkers
Wanted to abolish the estates system and make all citizens equal before the law.
Did not support absolute monarchy and they proposed measures to limit its powers.
Montesquieu
Argued for the separation of powers.
Meant that the three branches of government should be separate from one another.
Voltaire
Favoured a strong monarchy.
He also thought its power should be limited by parliament.
Rousseau
Introduced the idea of popular sovereignty.
Argued
Power resided with the people rather than the crown.
Politics should be based on agreement between the citizens and their government.
The economic ideas of the Enlightenment
Enlightenment thinkers rejected mercantilism.
Physiocracy
Is the belief that the wealth of a nation derives from its natural resources.
Belived:
Agriculture is a country's main source of wealth.
Craftsmanship and trade are secondary activities.
The state, that is to say, absolute monarchs, should not intervene in the economy.
Economic liberalism
Mid-18th century
Basic principle
Is that the state should not intervene in the processes of production or exchange of goods.
It should allow individual business owners to create wealth.
Argued
Freedom of production for business owners.
Free trade.
Free competition.
