Crash Course European History: Enlightenment

Context and Background

• Seventeenth-century Europe experienced political change and continuous warfare during the little ice age.
• The perception of natural phenomena linked with human events has ancient roots.
• Lisbon earthquake of 1755 was a significant event, challenging previous theological interpretations of natural disasters as divine punishment.
• The Enlightenment marked a shift in thinking from supernatural explanations to rational inquiry.

The Enlightenment (Age of Light)

• Emphasis on rational investigation over tradition.
• Not limited to scientific theories but included social, economic, and political inquiries.
• Key questions included the relationship between social classes and the role of government.

Social and Cultural Transformation

• Introduction of new commodities like coffee, tea, chocolate, and tobacco altered everyday life.
• European societies transitioned from subsistence living towards more abundant lifestyles due to new foods from the Americas.

Influence of Travel and Exposure

• Europeans who traveled observed less hierarchical and more skill-based societies.
• Exposure to different cultures led to questioning European social orders.

Key Enlightenment Figures and Ideas

Montesquieu

• Critiqued European and Eastern societies through satire ('Persian Letters' 1721).

Voltaire

• Known for wit and criticism of rulers and corruption.
• Advocated for simplicity and honesty (as in 'Candide' 1759).

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

• Advocated for natural education methods in 'Emile' (1762).
• Promoted middle-class values and domestic roles for women.

Adam Smith

• Rejected mercantilism, promoted free trade and the division of labor in 'The Wealth of Nations' (1776).
• Emphasized individual self-interest and overall societal prosperity.

Denis Diderot

• Editor of the 'Encyclopedie' which discussed natural rights and societal reforms.

Emmanuel Kant

• Advocated for individual reason with the phrase "Dare to Know."

Enlightenment's Impact on Society

• Movement towards abolishing slavery due to recognition of its cruelty.
• Enlightenment ideas led to social and political reforms, although they sometimes also justified inequality.

Wider Social Influence

• Jewish women in Europe engaged with Enlightenment ideas, leading to the establishment of salons.
• Moses Mendelssohn expressed optimism for Jewish integration inspired by Enlightenment tolerance.

Challenges and Critiques

• Enlightenment thought, while transformative, sometimes perpetuated structural inequalities.

Conclusion

• The Enlightenment played a crucial role in shifting perspectives from divine explanations to rational understanding of the world.
• It laid the groundwork for imagining better, though still imperfect, worlds.