THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE ANCIEN RÉGIME

The 18th century: the Early Modern and Modern Ages

The 18th century: the Early Modern and Modern Ages

Read the text and look for the answers to the following questions:

1.- What is the importance of the 18th century?

2.- What happened during this period?

3.- What was one of the main developments in the 18th century?

4.- What did the supporters of the Enlightenment want?

5.- What was the consequence of the ideas of the Enlightenment?

Go to page 52

Voltaire

The 18th century: the Early Modern and Modern Ages

• Transformation of the basic structures of the Ancien Régime:

The Enlightenment: a change in thinking.

The Enlightenment

Go to page 53

Read the text and answer the following questions:

1. What was Enlightenment?2. What was Enlightenment thinkers´ opinion about the Ancien

Régime?3. What did Enlightenment thinkers want?4. Name the main principles of Enlightenment thought.5. What did Enlightenment thinkers say about reason?6. What did Enlightenment thinkers say about learning and

thinking?7. What did Enlightenment thinkers say about equality and

liberty?8. How were enlighted ideas spread?9. Where did Enlightenment thinkers organised meetings? 10. Describe the picture on page 53.11. What did the intellectuals D´Alembert and Diderot do?12. What was the importance of the Encyclopaedia?

Voltaire

Enlightenment

Principles of Enlightenment

Reason

versus tradition

or superstition

Learning and

teachingEducate

and «enlighten»

society.

Natural rights of

the human being:

power can´t eliminate individual freedom and property.

Tolerance

to coexist

in society.

Social equality:- Oposition to the estates of the realm.

- Every person could progress in society thanks to his/her abilities, in stead of the economic privilegies of noble families.

Equality and

liberty under

the law:

All people should

enjoy the same legal

rights and freedoms.

Enlightenment

• The salon of Madame Geoffrin in Paris gathered wise men, politicians, soldiers, nobles, philosophers and aristocrats.

Enlightenment

• The Encyclopaedia

o It summarised knowledge from

many areas of study, including

science, philosophy, art and grammar.

Enlightenment criticisms and proposals.

PROPOSALS ABOUT POLITICS

He argued for the separation of powers.

The three branches of power should be separated from one another (not in the same person or institution).

Montesquieu

He supported the existence of parliaments.

Voltaire

He introduced the idea of popular

sovereignty.

Rousseau

Citizens establish a treaty with the State in the Constitution:- Citizens allow the State to govern in their name.- The power is not the monarch´s but the citizens´.- The king is just a representative of the nation.

Enlightenment criticisms and proposals.

PROPOSALS ABOUT ECONOMY

• Phsiocracy versus Mercantilism

• Phisiocrats argued that agriculture was the true source of wealth of a country.o Industry just transformed the agricultural

products.o Trade just exchanged them.

• They proposed to eliminate the lands of the Church and the Nobility which weren´t exploded.

The phisiocrat QuesnaySome ministers such as Turgot in France and Jovellanos in Spain tried to carry out this policies but they didn´t succed because of the oposition of the privileged people.

A nation should reach the full agricultural production to be rich.

Enlightenment criticisms and proposals.PROPOSALS ABOUT SOCIETY

• Enlightenment thinkers criticised the social inequalities of the estates system:

o No group should have special privileges under the law.

The Enlightenment in Spain

• Spanish Enlightenment thinkers

Jovellanos The count of Floridablanca

We wanted to use Enlightenment ideas to improve economic, social and cultural conditions in Spain.

Spain had declined during the reigns of the

Lesser Hapsburgs.

The Enlightenment in Spain

• To communicate Enlightenment ideas:

JovellanosThe Count of Floridablanca

We established schools, academies and special associations known as

sociedades económicas de amigos del país in Madrid.

We published scientific and

literary papers.

Ruta por el Madrid de los Borbones

Imágenes del Madrid de los Borbones.

Enlightenment politics in Europe, America and Spain

ENLIGHTENED DESPOTISM

•Who is a despot?

ENLIGHTENED DESPOTISM

Definition

It was a new form of government that developed in some European countries in the 18th century.

Objective

To modernise the country To improve quality of life

by combining:

Absolute monarchy Enlightened ideas

Charles III of Spain

They are despots (absolute monarchs) who use the enlightened ideas to improve society but imposing their laws to the people without asking.

ENLIGHTENED DESPOTISMC

hara

cter

istic

s Centralised governements To consolidate their power

Enlightened thinkers as ministersTo promote reform

Making changes pacefully, through education and law

To avoid challegnes to their power

How did absolute monarchs introduced the Enlightenment to their politics?

This system didn´t succeed as a form of government because it maintained the privileges of the estates system.

Which monarchs in Europe were Enlightened despots?

Carlos III Catherine the Great of Russia

Joseph II of Austria Frederick II of Prusia

These monarchs implemented various enlightened reforms, such as:

Unification of the legal system.

Modernisation of the army.

Promotion of agriculture, industry, education and culture.

Enlightened despotism

• Famous sentences that summarize the Enlightened despotism:

Everything for the people,

nothing by the people.

Argue as much as you will and about

whatever you will, but obey!

Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II Frederick II of Prusia