Lesson 2 - Enlightenment Political Philosophy
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1. What was the Enlightenment?
The Enlightenment was an intellectual and cultural movement of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. As we saw with the Scientific Revolution, it valued reason, logic, criticism and freedom of thought over faith, superstition and tradition. Its ambitions went far beyond science. Once thinkers saw the power of the scientific method in the natural world, they began applying the same principles to human society. They analysed politics, government, rights and human behaviour using evidence and rational argument. This is where political philosophy enters our story. |
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2. What is Political Philosophy?
Political philosophers ask how human societies should be organised. They explore questions such as:
• What is the best form of government?
• Is monarchy efficient?
• Do people have natural rights?
• Is social inequality inevitable?
• What is human nature?
• Must citizens always obey their rulers?
Political philosophy involves thinking about how we should structure power through laws, states, constitutions, monarchies, parliaments or republics. Some political philosophers have tried to justify current political institutions (conservatives); others have painted pictures of an ideal state that is very different from anything we have so far experienced (radicals). It's also quite cool that a couple of the most important of these philosophers had a significant local connection which we will be exploring during the year.
Political philosophers ask how human societies should be organised. They explore questions such as:
• What is the best form of government?
• Is monarchy efficient?
• Do people have natural rights?
• Is social inequality inevitable?
• What is human nature?
• Must citizens always obey their rulers?
Political philosophy involves thinking about how we should structure power through laws, states, constitutions, monarchies, parliaments or republics. Some political philosophers have tried to justify current political institutions (conservatives); others have painted pictures of an ideal state that is very different from anything we have so far experienced (radicals). It's also quite cool that a couple of the most important of these philosophers had a significant local connection which we will be exploring during the year.
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More on thinking philosophically 3. Thinking Philosophically To help you think like philosophers: • Sophie's World and The Philosophy Files are excellent introductions. • Philosophy Files offers thought experiments such as Is torture ever justified?, Would you eat your cat?, and Should you kill the backpacker?. Try one or two and think for yourself. These books will also help you with your IB TOK thinking, so get started early. |
The Political Philosophers of the Enlightenment.
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Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527)
Not technically an Enlightenment thinker but essential to the story. A Florentine diplomat and author of The Prince. • Rejected the idea that rulers should be virtuous. • Politics is about power, not morality. • A ruler should be feared rather than loved. • The term Machiavellian is now used to describe ruthless political behaviour. |
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Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679)
English philosopher who took a pessimistic view of human nature. • In Leviathan he argued that humans are naturally selfish. • Life without government would be “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short.” • People accept strong rulers out of fear of chaos. • Power comes from the people rather than from God. • If rulers fail to protect their subjects, they can be removed. |
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John Locke (1632-1704)
English philosopher and major influence on the American Revolution. • Argued that the mind at birth is a blank slate. • In Two Treatises of Government he wrote that people are born free and equal in rights. • Government is based on a social contract. • Government powers must be limited. • If rulers break the contract, the people may remove them. |
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Montesquieu (1689- 1755)
French thinker who shaped modern constitutional design. • In The Spirit of the Laws he proposed the separation of powers. • Government should be divided into the legislative, executive and judicial branches. • Each branch should check the others to prevent tyranny. • This challenged the traditional Three Estates system in France. |
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Voltaire (1694 –1778)
French writer and campaigner for civil liberties. • Fought for tolerance, justice, freedom of religion and fair trials. • Criticised the injustices of the Ancien Regime. • Associated with the defence of free speech: “I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” |
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Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712 –1778)
Genevan philosopher with a radical vision of equality. • Believed humans are naturally good, but corrupted by society. • In The Social Contract he wrote that “Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains.” • Good government should reflect the General Will, meaning the common good of all. • Governments that fail to protect liberty and equality should be overthrown. |
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Diderot (1713 – 1784) and D'Alembert (1717 – 1783)
Leaders of the Encyclopedists. • Produced the Encyclopédie with more than one hundred contributors. • Aimed to free learning from Church control. • Believed that human progress comes from science, technology and understanding society rationally. |
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Thomas Paine (1737-1809)
Revolutionary writer whose ideas linked America, Britain and France. • Born in England and moved to America in 1774. • Wrote Common Sense which powerfully argued for American independence. • In The Rights of Man he attacked monarchy and hereditary privilege. • Supported universal political rights for men and republican government. |
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Activity - Qui est-ce ? - Guess Who?
Learn 'who is who' of all the Enlightenment thinkers - scientists and philosophers - by playing the fling the teacher quiz below or by learning the game cards. We will then be playing a game in class that will 'test' your knowledge of them all. The Monty Python extract is simply there because, after all these years, it still makes me laugh.
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The quiz on who's who in the Scientific Revolution and Enlightenment.
Extension materials and extras
K Clark's classic Civilisation television documentary series examines the impact of the Enlightenment.
The Scottish Enlightenment - BBC Scotland.
Links: Wikipedia, Philosopher.org on the Enlightenment, History World.
See Tom Richey's videos and notes on the Enlightenment. https://www.tomrichey.net/enlightenment.html