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Krystal Villalobos

Mr. Wisner

World History

24 February 2017

The Philosophers and Enlightenment

Your mother doesnt deserve an education. Saying that in todays world would cause an

outrage. However, in the 1700s that was the norm. What caused this change, or any social

change for that matter? People expressing their ideas and beliefs. People like John Locke,

Voltaire, Adam smith, and Mary Wollstonecraft. They were all philosophers fighting for

individual freedom in different areas of human society like the social role of a women, economy,

government, and religion. The world would not be how it is today if it weren't for these

philosophers that influenced people with a goal to achieve individual freedom.

The philosopher John Locke shared his ideas on individual freedom in the government.

He was born in 1632 and lived in England. During this time the government was an absolute

monarchy and didnt change until 1689 when the Bill of Rights was added to the constitution. He

believed that the society has the right to preserve itself when the new government fails. John

Locke also wrote a book expressing his ideas on the government called Second Treatise on Civil

Government. In the book he also gives more insight into his beliefs by saying people have

freedom within their nature and should be equal amongst each other for we are all creatures of

the same species. As Locke was influencing people on an individual government, another

philosopher was doing the same but with religion.

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Voltaire was a philosopher that supported tolerance and freedom of religion. He was born

in Paris in 1694. He was an amazing writer, leading him to write poems, novels, essays, plays,

and more than 20,000 personal letters. He believed that in order to find peace there must be

freedom of religion. In his book Letters Concerning the English Nation he refers to the Royal

Exchange as an example of acceptance with a multitude of religions. While Voltaire was

supporting freedom of religion, another philosopher was influencing others with his economic

beliefs.

Adam Smith was a philosopher that supported the individual freedom in economics. He

was born in 1723 in Scotland. Although the most common economic system was mercantilism,

he didnt exactly agree with it. He believed that people should have the right to pursue their own

economic gain. In his book The Wealth Of Nations he explains how even though one would work

for their own gain, they would also promote society through supply and demand. As Adam

Smith was supporting freedom to pursue ones own economic gain, another philosopher was

expressing her beliefs on a womans social role.

Mary Wollstonecraft was a philosopher who supported womens individual freedom in

the 1700s. Many women were discouraged from learning at the time because that was not

socially expected of them. Wollstone however thought that women should have the right to be

educated the same as men. In A Vindication of the Right of Woman, she claims that if women are

given the chance to gain knowledge mankind will be more virtuous and happier. Because of

Wollstone many people were influenced and women were a step closer to having equality and

individual freedom.
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One thing all of these philosophers had in common was their desire to have individual

freedom. They affected our government, our economy, religion, and our view on womens social

roles. Because these people expressed their ideas and beliefs, there was a change. Our world

would be completely different without their enlightenment thinking.