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Maya Khaskhely

Ms. Kathy Smalls

H-Social Studies-3

30 November 2016

What did the Enlightenment Philosophers all have in common?

The Enlightenment Philosophers are well known around the world today. Their ideas

were included in documents that form our world today. They all wanted to be the Newton of

social sciences. They loved wisdom according to their name, philosophers. Some major

Enlightenment philosophers are John Locke, Adam Smith, Voltaire, and Mary Wollstonecraft.

They all had one area they specialized in, but they all had one thing in common. They all wanted

changes for the good of the people. This included changes in government, religion, economy,

and the social role of women.

John Locke is one of the many famous Enlightenment philosophers today. He specialized

in the area of government. One thing that John Locke had in common with the rest of the

philosophers is that he had ideas about the government that benefited the people. Not the

monarchs. “ We must consider what state all men are naturally in, and that is, a state of perfect

freedom to order their actions, and dispose of [manage] of their possession and persons, as they

fit, within the bounds of the law of nature.” (Document A) This means that all people were born

naturally free, but they laws they have to follow. During this time the people of Great Britain

were being ruled by the king and parliament. He thought that people should have a say in
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government and politics. “ When the government is dissolved [ended], the people are at liberty to

provide for themselves, by erecting a new legislative [lawmaking body],... for the society can

never… lose the native [natural] and original right it has to preserve itself, which can only be

done by a settled legislative and fair and impartial execution of the laws made by it.” (Document

A) This quote states that when the government ends the people have the responsibility to vote for

a new law making body. John Locke wanted change in the way things ran in Great Britain. He

wanted changes that allowed the people to have a say in what taxes were allowed, what laws

were allowed etc. His thinkings have been implemented in the U.S. democracy today.

Another issue that was heavily discussed was religious freedom. Voltaire is well known

for his contributions to the topic of religious freedom. “ Take a view of the Royal Exchange

[trading center] in London… where the representatives of all nations meet for the benefit of

mankind. There the Jew, the Mahometan [Muslim], and the Christian transact together as tho’

they all professed the same religion… ” (Document B) This shows that at the Royal Exchange of

London all types of people went there. Jewish, Muslim, and Christian. They did business

together not regarding what their race or religion was. All they wanted to do was to make deals

with others as equals. “ If one religion only were allowed in England, the government would

very possibly become arbitrary [unrestrained]; if there were but two, the people would cut one

another’s throats; but as there are such a multitude, they all live happy and in peace.” (Document

B) He thinks that it would be better if there is not only one, not two, but a multitude of religions

in England. Voltaire’s idea about religious freedom is commonly used in many countries to this

day.

Adam Smith was a main enlightenment philosopher in the section of economy. He

thought that the government should stop interfering with businesses and their money. “ [Without
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government interference] the obvious and simple system of natural liberty establishes itself of its

own accord.” (Document C) Even without the government, things will take its natural and right

place as it should be. “Every man… is left perfectly free to pursue his own interest in his own

way… The [ruler] is completely discharged from a duty [for which] no human wisdom or

knowledge could ever be sufficient-the duty of superintending [guiding] the industry of private

people, and of directing it towards… the internet of the society…” (Document C) It states that

the ruler does not have the enough wisdom or knowledge that could lead the economy and

control the economy.

During the 18th century most people believed that women should be beautiful, emotional,

and dependent on men. Mary Wollstonecraft thought otherwise. “ In fact, it is a farce [joke] to

call any being virtuous [worthy] whose [skills] do not result from the exercise of [her] own

reason.” (Document D) alling a woman virtuous for doing house chores was a farce because

those “skills” did not result from her own actions, it was what she believed she was “good at” or

what she was told to do. “ To render [make] mankind more virtuous, and happier of course, both

sexes must act from the same principle;... women must be allowed to found their virtue on

knowledge, which is scarcely possible unless they be educated by the same pursuits [studies] as

men. For they are now made so inferior by ignorance and low desires, as not to deserve to be

ranked with them…” (Document D) This shows that at the time women were not getting the

same education as men. They were made so inferior that men and women did not have the same

rights or respect. They were treated like objects, as if they did not deserve to be with them.

Although these Enlightenment thinkers all focused on very different topics like

government, religion, economy, and the social role of women, they all had one thing in common.

That one thing is that they all focused on ideas that benefited the people and welfare of society.
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John Locke, Voltaire, Adam Smith, and Mary Wollstonecraft all wanted society from the 18th

century to be dramatically changed to a whole new place with new concepts. They have certainly

accomplished their goal. All of their ideas have been used in the documents that have founded

and protected people’s natural rights. The Constitution and The Bill of Rights. All of these

Enlightenment philosophers wanted society to change for the better.

Works Cited

Locke, John. Second Treatise on Civil Government. N.p.: n.p., 1690. Print.

Smith, Adam. The Wealth of Nations. N.p.: n.p., 1776. Print.

Voltaire. Letters Concerning the English Nation. N.p.: n.p., 1726. Print.
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Wollstonecraft, Mary. A Vindication of the Rights of Women. N.p.: n.p., 1792. Print.