The Enlightenment Essay Research Paper The Age — страница 2

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Enlightenment thought. The idea of a Social Contract first appeared in Western Europe when the British Parliament, tired of religious wars and the expenses that were synonymous with them, replaced King James II who supported the Catholic Church, and replaced him with William of Orange. Essentially, Parliament was voting out one King and replacing him with a new one. This was known as the Glorious Revolution and it was, indeed, glorious. The Glorious Revolution gave John Locke the idea of a Social Contract. A Social Contract was an unwritten law which stated that monarchs are put in place by the people, for the people and that they can be subsequently removed by the people as well. John Locke also brought up the idea of equal rights for all. This was known as the ?Clean Slate

Theory.? It stated that man and his mind are shaped by his own experiences and when born is a clean slate. Thus, as no one is unequal at birth, everyone is entitled to ?life, liberty, and property.? Any monarch which tried to take away such from a society would be violating the Social Contract and could be subsequently removed. This was known as Enlightened Absolutism. It was a great change from what had come before as no longer was a monarch appointed by God, but by the people for how can a monarch be removed if he was a representative of God? With the separation of God and the state, the idea that the monarch also had to obey all of the laws of the land were also introduced. Such was a great change from the ways of the past and embodied the spirit of the Enlightenment. As can

be seen from it effects on the philosophies of the time, the idea of science, and the monarchial system of Absolutism, the spirit of the Enlightenment was one of change and a rebellion against authority. This change was grand, indeed, for they have lasted through until the Modern Age and the 21st Century. Today?s system of government is simply an evolution of the revolution which took place during the Enlightenment. Perhaps, without the spirit of change brought on by the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment, we would not have many of the advantages that man, today, enjoys. 32a