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4.The 18th century: the Enlightenment - Coggle Diagram
4.The 18th century: the Enlightenment
The Enlightenment was an important intellectual movement and a new way of thinking that emerged in Europe during the 18th century
The main principles of Enlightenment thought were:
learning and teaching are essential
reason is the only real source of knowledge
science and technological progress
equality and liberty are crucial
4.1.THE POLITICAL IDEAS OF THE ENLIGHTENMENT
Enlightenment thinkers wanted to abolish the estates system and make all citizens equal before the law
Montesquieu argued for the separation of powers
Voltaire favoured a strong monarchy
Rousseau introduced the idea of popular sovereignty
4.2.THE ECONOMIC IDEAS OF THE ENLIGHTENMENT
Physiocracy is the belief that the wealth of a nation derives from its natural resources. Physiocrats believed that:
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
4.3.ECONOMIC LIBERALISM
The basic principle of economic liberalism is that the state should not intervene in the processes of production or exchange of goods. Instead, it should allow individual business owners to create wealth.
As a result, economic liberals argued for:
freedom of production for business owners
free trade
free competition
