Question

What effects did enlightenment philosophers have on government and society?

Answer 1

Enlightenment philosophers like Hobbes, Locke, Montesquieu, and Rousseau influenced governmental and societal structures by advocating for natural rights, social contracts, and representative government, leading to revolutions and the move away from absolute monarchies.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Enlightenment philosophers had a profound impact on government and society by challenging the established doctrines of divine right monarchies and proposing new ideas about governance and social structures. Philosophers such as Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Baron de Montesquieu, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau influenced the way people thought about the role and structure of the government. Locke's theory of natural rights and the social contract, Montesquieu's advocacy for a constitutional monarchy, and Rousseau's insights on individual freedoms and social contract theory laid the groundwork for modern democratic thought and catalyzed movements such as the French Revolution and the American Revolution. These ideas emphasized liberty, equality, and fraternity and encouraged the move away from absolute monarchies towards representative governments and republics, a shift that marked the dawn of new political and social eras in Europe and the Americas.

Answer 2

Enlightenment philosophers had an enormous impact on government and society because they helped to introduced ideas and structures that became realities in governments across the world. By focusing on ideas such as democracy, liberty, freedom of speech, human rights, natural rights, and the role of revolution the enlightenment thinkers helped to spread humanism and a push for democracy in countries around the globe.