MWH ~ The Enlightenment

• Niccolò Machiavelli was born in Florence, Italy in 1469.
• Niccolò Machiavelli said that it is Better to be feared than loved
• Niccolò Machiavelli said doo whatever was necessary to achieve goals
•  Niccolò Machiavelli wrote the Prince
•  Niccolò Machiavelli was an honest person
• Descartes said "I think therefore I am"
• Niccolò Machiavelli believes

  • good rulers sometimes have to learn "not to be good"
  • Set aside ethical concerns of justice, honesty, and kindness to maintain the state's stability.
  • King should do whatever was necessary to preserve their own power--and thus indirectly preserve the order of the state.
  • all people were weak, and needed a strong ruler, or else society would run to complete decay.
• Niccolò Machiavelli believes that all people were weak and need a strong ruler, or else society would run to complete decay.
• Niccolò Machiavelli Ideologies

  • political theory
  • history and historiography
  •  Italian literature
  •  the principles of Warfare diplomacy
  • utilitarianism (do what is practical)
  • Better to be feared than loved
  •  do whatever was necessary to achieve goals - Ruthlessness was a necessity, and honor was an option.
  • Very honest person
  • wrote Discourses on Livy and The Prince
• Voltaire: (1694–1778), French writer, playwright, and poet; pseudonym of François-Marie Arouet. He was a leading figure of the Enlightenment, and frequently came into conflict with the Establishment as a result of his radical views and satirical writings. Notable works: Lettres philosophiques (1734) and the satire Candide (1759).
• Voltaire: Notable works: Lettres philosophiques (1734) and the satire Candide (1759).
• Voltaire believed in freedom of religion
• Voltaire thought that people should be ruled by an enlightened monarch advised by philosophers - a monarch king, no lords or serfs
• Voltaire criticized the Catholic Church and favored an understanding of God beyond institutionalized religion
• Voltaire believed that all men are brothers, regardless of religion, as they are the same creature created by the same God.
• Voltaire believed in individualism- people were born with equal worth
• Voltaire fought for civil rights and the right to fair trial
• Voltaire denounced the hypocrisies and injustices
• Voltaire distrusted democracy
• Voltaire wrote A Treatise on Toleration (1763),
• William Blackstone was a Judge and professor
• William Blackstone produced the historical and analytic treatise on the common law entitled Commentaries on the Laws of England.
• William Blackstone believed that God has built into the universe fundamental laws that are unchangeable and must be obeyed.
• William Blackstone

  • human law is to “command what is right, prohibiting what is wrong.” - human law is not to violate God’s law
• William Blackstone believed that people should have rights

  • Personal rights - Personal security, Personal liberty, and Right of private property
• William Blackstone's theories also influenced the writers of the United States Constitution.  - Bill of rights
• Baron de Montesquieu wrote the Persian Letters -"in order to love and conform to one's religion it is not necessary to hate and persecute those who do not conform to it."
• Montesquieu argued not for atheism but for a world that is tolerant of religions.
• Montesquieu approved of slavery and thought it was a good thing for the colonies
• Montesquieu though that women were weaker than men and that they had to obey the commands of their husbands
• Montesquieu believed in three forms of government:

  -monarchy (rule by a king or queen),

  -aristocracy (rule by the noble or wealthy class)

  -republicanism (rule by Elected leaders)
• Montesquieu opposed to absolute monarchy- monarchy with limited powers makes countries the most stable and secure.
• Montesquieu

  • People's role in government:

  -political virtue

  -equality
• Montesquieu believed States should be kept small to make it easier for people to play a role in Government
• • Montesquieu believed that the success of a government depends upon maintaining the right balance of power between different branches and each branch would check that the other branches did not abuse their power
• Jean-Jacque Rousseau wrote The Social Contract-"Man was born free, and everywhere he is in chains."
• Rousseau believed that people are born good, independent, and compassionate left to their own devices in a state of nature people would naturally live happily and peacefully
• Rousseau believed in

  • direct democracy - believed it was the ideal way for people to make decisions.
• Rousseau believed that representative democracy - is corrupt
• Rousseau believed people can be both ruled and free if they rule themselves