The Age of Enlightenment

Agricultural Revolution

Developments/inventions in methods of agricultural production

Natural fertilizers and rotation of crops

steel plow → turned over soil

seed drill → improved planting

Range of productivity on farms

- Aristocrats
- resident farmers
- peasants
- labourers

Radical change in land distribution

Enclosure: landlords consolidate land as their own

Advantage/gain

commercialized

Aimed to produce surplus to be sold on open market

Decline in number of deaths due to:
Fewer wars, epidemics and improved hygiene & sanitation

Increased & improved food supply → agricultural production

Rise in population → demands for food, jobs, goods and services

Population explosion

Socially disadvantaged

Politically discontented

universe is understood through reason

everything could be explained by natural laws

freedom of thought; criticized unquestioned obedience

"I think therefore I am"

New ideas in areas outside science

criticizing absolutism and new ideas about government

Old idea: absolute monarch
New idea: government rules because of people

Technology

- spinning jenny
- water-powered frame
- flying shuttle

Increased production

Created consumerism

Consumerism

Rural economy was the root of national wealth

Spread of capitalism

Joint-stock companies increased volume of trade

Money increased → new middle/ merchant class

Rise of the merchant class

Saw themselves as superior

Enjoyed profits from crops & other products of the land

Demanded obedience from those who worked on their property

Collected taxes from peasants/farmers/labourers

Collected rent from peasant farmers or had them work for wages

Weakening of nobility

Leaders & court were unhappy with greed and demand for protection of privileges

18th century → social authority of nobility weakened

- Attention to military strength
- Not much attention to public opinion

Royal court

nobility get power & rewards

full of personal intrigue & scandal

nobles fought for position with eye on the heir to the throne

Rulers

- could be children
- sick
- insane

Monarchies

constrained by tradition, religion & obedience to legal precedents

John Locke

Political

- Defended need for elected governments
- uphold freedom & tolerance
- government looked after people
- people had right to overthrow government & elect leaders

Social

- defended rights to own property → essential to well-ordered society
- leaving "state of nature" → enter well-ordered society

Voltaire

Political

- èrasez l'infâme → crush infamy

Social

- defended tolerance
- attacked religious piety
- criticized severity of punishment

Rousseau

Political

Political authority → "general will" & "common good"

Social

- Didn't accept Enlightenment
- looked down on luxury → French life was artificial
- "State of Nature"
- innocence of children & corruption of society

Montesquieu

Political

- Nature of things → consequence of politics
- monarchy was the best government

Social

- Laws & customs → products of society's condition
- pondered effects of climate, social & sexual customs

Adam Smith

Economic

- proponent of free trade
- against mercantile system
- greater & more competitive trade
- "Invisible hand of competition"
- Capitalist economy

More readers & writers

Spread of ideas of thinkers

- Movable type → many copies
- Newspapers → Gazettes

The Encyclopedia
(1751)

Editors & contributors:
Jean d'Alembert, Diderot, Montesqueiu, Voltaire, Rousseau, etc.

Subjects:
Government, social system & religion

Summarized advances in biology, chemistry, medicine & engineering

Writers & intellectuals presented & exchanged ideas

Intellectuals gathered to present and exchange ideas

Gave sheltered outlet to say views

Men & women were almost equal

Class & religion was less important

Didn't need invitation (anyone can go)

Intellectuals could discuss ideas over coffee

Less private

Simplification of religious ritual

Rejection of traditional religion

Deism

Irrational to imagine a world without God

God didn't participate directly in human affairs

God created universe & let it run

"My own mind is my own church" - Paine