Fundamental Thoughts of The Age of Enlightenment

Introduction

Our general public would not be what it is today if not for the four French thinkers who advocated individual opportunity, and freedom in government, religion, economy, and gender equality. John Locke, Voltaire, Adam Smith, and Mary Wollstonecraft were four of the numerous incredible scholars who changed our society and molded the free enterprise democratic world that we live in today. These philosophers lived in a period of brilliant and astonishing new ideas, known as the Age of Enlightenment or the Age of Reason. Here are the fundamental ideas of Enlightenment.

John Locke: The Advocate for Governmental Freedom

John Locke (1632-1704) was one of the four fundamental French scholars. Locke lived under a government that was an absolute monarchy. Parliaments would sometimes offer the monarch advice. Locke wrote his seminal works in 1689, 87 years before the Declaration of Independence. John Locke asserted that we should consider that all men are in "a state of perfect freedom" (Locke, 1689). Locke was involved in two government branches, the legislative and the executive. He also stated that if the government fails, then the people have the right to establish a new government. This idea was revolutionary and laid the groundwork for modern democratic thought.

Voltaire: Champion of Religious Freedom

This brings me to Voltaire (1694-1778), the second of the four primary French thinkers. Voltaire wrote poems, books, articles, plays, and more than 20,000 personal letters. Voltaire's vision of a better society included freedom of religion. He highlighted the Royal Exchange in London, where representatives of all nations met and attempted to profess the same religion. However, Voltaire argued that "if there is one religion, then it would be arbitrary, and if there were two, people would kill one another, but if there were a multitude of religions, there would be peace and happiness" (Voltaire, 1763). Voltaire's idea is similar to John Locke's idea. People should have the freedom to choose what they want or like, fostering a more tolerant and harmonious society.

Adam Smith: Pioneer of Economic Freedom

Now onto Adam Smith (1723-1790), the third of the four primary French philosophers. Smith was also a pioneer of political economy. Adam Smith lived in an economy dominated by mercantilism, where people were not allowed to make decisions to improve the economy. This is where Adam Smith stepped in. He introduced the idea of economic freedom. Smith stated, "Every man is left perfectly free to pursue his own interest in his own way" (Smith, 1776). Most people worked for wealth in support of industry. Smith's fundamental idea was for people to do what they want to do and also enjoy it. This laid the foundation for modern capitalist economies, emphasizing the importance of individual entrepreneurship and economic freedom.

Mary Wollstonecraft: Advocate for Gender Equality

The last thinker is Mary Wollstonecraft (1759-1797). Wollstonecraft wrote books, a travel journal, a history of the French Revolution, and a book about the Vindication of the Rights of Woman. In the eighteenth century, women were discouraged from learning geography, history, and rhetoric. Wollstonecraft believed that women should have the same personal freedom as men. Mary developed the idea of freedom and gender equality. She wrote about this in 1792, during the French Revolution. Mary wanted individuals to achieve such habits of excellence that would render them independent. Wollstonecraft asserted, "The most perfect education, in my opinion, is such as enables the individual to attain such habits of virtue as will render her independent" (Wollstonecraft, 1792). Wollstonecraft simply wanted to enable women to fulfill their peculiar duties by liberating them from all constraints, advocating for educational and social reforms that would empower women.

Conclusion

In short, the primary ideas of the Enlightenment thinkers were freedom in government, religion, economy, gender equity, and overall liberty. These ideas were essentially made for a better society, integrated government, granting people more freedom and rights, abolishing serfdom, and treating religion equally. The four philosophers—John Locke, Voltaire, Adam Smith, and Mary Wollstonecraft—have significantly transformed our society, and it wouldn't be what it is today if not for the Enlightenment thinkers and their incredible ideas.