The Enlightenment: Crash Course European History #18

Crash Course European History: The Enlightenment

Introduction to the Enlightenment

• John Green introduces the topic of the Enlightenment, highlighting significant political changes and warfare during the seventeenth century's little ice age.

• He notes that alongside these events, there were shifts in how people perceived everyday life, linking natural phenomena with human events.

The Lisbon Earthquake of 1755

• The devastating earthquake in Lisbon resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, prompting theological debates about divine punishment versus natural disaster.

• Voltaire's poem critiques the notion that such disasters are necessary effects of God's eternal laws, reflecting a shift in European thought influenced by Enlightenment ideals.

Characteristics of the Enlightenment

• The Enlightenment is described as a movement advocating for rational investigation into traditional beliefs and practices.

• It emphasized practical issues like social class relations, trade, manufacturing, and governance rather than solely focusing on abstract scientific theories.

Changes in Everyday Life

• New commodities such as coffee and tea introduced experimentation into daily life; an English housewife mistook tea for pie filling upon first seeing it.

• A diplomat noted that these beverages brought greater civility to society; Europe was transitioning from a history marked by famine to one with increased food availability due to new crops from the Americas.

Global Perspectives and Social Orders

• Travelers' experiences abroad revealed different social orders where individual skills were valued over parentage, contrasting with Europe's hierarchical structures.

• Observations included more polite interactions among people in Asia compared to Europeans' quarrelsome nature over trivial matters.

Critique of Traditional Society by Montesquieu

• Montesquieu’s "Persian Letters" humorously critiques both Eastern and Western societies through Uzbek visitors’ perspectives on French customs.

• His work highlights societal flaws while acknowledging imperfections within all cultures; he uses satire to challenge outdated norms.

Voltaire's Satirical Approach

• Voltaire employed humor to critique aristocracy and corruption; his imprisonment reflects his contentious relationship with authority figures.

• In "Candide," he argues against optimism following disasters like the Lisbon earthquake, suggesting a need for change away from old monarchic traditions towards honesty and inquiry.

Rousseau's Educational Reforms

The Natural Individual: Emile's Upbringing

Emile's Education in the Countryside

• Emile is raised in a countryside setting that allows him to be a natural individual, focusing on practical skills like carpentry and gardening rather than rote learning.

• Rousseau emphasizes middle-class values such as hard work and domesticity, particularly for women, as seen in the character chosen for Emile’s spouse.

Domestic Roles and Enlightenment Salons

• The chosen spouse for Emile is depicted as nurturing, prioritizing caregiving over intellectual pursuits, contrasting with the roles of farm women.

• Wealthy European women hosted salons to discuss ideas and meet philosophers, akin to modern influencers; this highlights the cultural shift towards intellectual engagement.

Fashion and Social Transformation

• Men like Voltaire adopted new fashion trends from India, moving away from traditional attire towards more comfortable garments like banyans.

• Rousseau advocated for men to embrace natural appearances by discarding makeup and wigs, promoting authenticity in personal presentation.

The Role of Literature in Enlightenment Thought

• The Encyclopédie edited by Denis Diderot encouraged examination of all topics without bias, advocating social reform while also providing technical knowledge.

• Diderot’s call for investigation reflects Enlightenment ideals focused on reason and practicality rather than spirituality.

Reason Over Religion: Philosophical Shifts

Hume's Rationalism

• David Hume argued that belief in God was superstition; he promoted reason above religious faith during the Enlightenment period.

Deism and Its Implications

• Deists believed God created the universe but did not intervene in daily life; this perspective led to questioning religious persecution as cruel fanaticism.

Activism Among Philosophes

• Voltaire became an activist against torture practices after learning about Jean Calas’ brutal treatment due to false accusations related to religion.

Enlightenment Ideals and Abolition Movements

Growing Awareness of Slavery's Cruelty

• Enlightenment thinkers contributed to movements aimed at abolishing slavery amidst growing recognition of its brutality across Europe and colonies.

Key Figures Advocating Freedom

The Enlightenment: Key Philosophers and Their Ideas

Adam Smith and Economic Theories

• Adam Smith argued against wealth accumulation through exploitation, advocating for manufacturing, division of labor, and free trade.

• He is recognized as the father of free market economics due to his seminal work, An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of The Wealth of Nations (1776), promoting individualism while opposing absolutism.

• Smith acknowledged potential harms in laissez-faire economics, advocating for social policies to address these issues.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau's Social Contract

• Rousseau’s The Social Contract begins with the assertion that “Man is born free and everywhere he is in chains,” emphasizing collective obedience to the state as it embodies the "general will."

• His ideas are seen as precursors to dictatorial governments; however, he also valued individual sentiments alongside societal obligations.

Immanuel Kant's Emphasis on Individual Reason

• Kant championed individual reasoning with his famous phrase “Dare to Know,” promoting Enlightenment ideals that encouraged personal thought over blind obedience.

• He believed that human understanding involves innate categories that shape rational judgments, aligning him with both Rousseau and Smith in valuing individualism.

Impact of Enlightenment Thought on Society

• Upper-class Jewish women established salons across Europe inspired by Enlightenment ideas; Moses Mendelssohn expressed optimism about Jewish futures amid a more tolerant atmosphere.

• Despite hopes for reason leading to equality, pseudoscientific rationality has historically justified various forms of oppression.

Transformative Nature of Enlightenment Ideals