Enlightened Thought
The Thinkers of the Enlightenment had many new
ideas. They developed new concepts about science,
government, people- all aspects of society.
Earlier Idea
— People should accept
suffering in this world in
return for joy in heaven after
death.
Enlightened Idea
— People should seek, and are
worthy of, material and
physical well-being in this
world.
Earlier Idea
— True knowledge about the
world comes from the Bible,
church teachings, and ancient
writers.
Enlightened Idea
— True knowledge about the
world comes from scientific
reasoning, observation, and
experimentation. [Francis
Bacon]
Earlier Idea
— A legitimate monarch has a
divine, God-given right to
rule.
Enlightened Idea
— A government’s power comes
from the consent of the
governed. [John Locke, JeanJacques Rousseau]
Earlier Idea
— People have no right to
criticize their ruler or
government, each of which
has the right to silence critics.
Enlightened Idea
— People have an absolute right
to freedom of thought and
expression- freedom of
speech. [Voltaire]
Earlier Idea
— Government may allow just
one religion and persecute
members of any other
religion.
Enlightened Idea
— People have the right to
freedom of religion,
worshipping as they wish.
[Voltaire]
Earlier Idea
— The people’s role is to serve
and obey the monarch and
the state.
Enlightened Idea
— People have natural rights to
life, liberty, and property. If
the government fails to
protect these, the people have
a right to overthrow it. [John
Locke]
Earlier Idea
— Society is correctly
structured into unequal social
classes.
Enlightened Idea
— All people are born equal,
and a society should have no
titles of nobility. [JeanJacques Rousseau]
Earlier Idea
— The purpose of the law is to
avenge crime and extract
confessions from accused
people.
Enlightened Idea
— The purpose of the law is to
preserve the social order; law
should always be applied
fairly and justly to all people.
[Cesare Beccaria]
Earlier Idea
— Women are naturally- and,
therefore, legally subordinate
to men.
Enlightened Idea
— Women should have equal
opportunities and equal social
and legal status. [Mary
Wollstonescraft]