Four Greatest Thinkers Of The Enlightenment

The four greatest thinkers of the Enlightenment and their ideas have probably impacted modern day society more than they could probably could ever imagine. But who were these great thinkers, or more formally philosophers? What’s the enlightenment, and what was their ideas? The enlightenment was a period of time in the in the 17th-18th century when the normal ways of thinking and living were were questioned, by philosophers. Some of the greatest philosophers were John Locke, Voltaire, Adam Smith, and Mary Wollstonecraft. But what were their ideas, what were their solutions to the things they seemed to question? During a time when philosophers were deciding the best way to change society for the better, the concluded that giving the people the

This book was mainly about economy and his argument that I giving people the right to sell and buy as they choose would support the whole economy, and the people who work for their on income. In his book Smith says “ [Without government interference] the obvious and simple system of natural liberty establishes itself of its own accord. Every man...is left perfectly free to pursue his own interest in his own way…” He says basically that an economy that does not have government interference is the best for an economy. Smith then says “by pursuing his own interest he frequently promotes that of the society more [effectively] than when he really intends to promote it.” Smith concluded that if man follows his interests all of the economy and society will also benefit. In this mind set not only should people support capitalism moreover they should also strive to make good choices that benefit

He is known mostly for his stance on government in society. His main belief was first that everyone was natural born to be free, everyone was born you make their own choices, be who they want to be. In Locke’s book Second Treatise on Civil Government He writes, “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 their possessions and persons as they think fit,” It basically agrees with the idea that men should be able to be free since that is their natural rights. Locke, even though he believed in the freedom of men, also believed in the institution of government. His idea government was not a monarchy but a government that contained a legislative branch or group, the government’s main objective, however, was to protect the rights of the people. Locke writes “When the government is dissolved, the people are at liberty to provide for themselves, by erecting a new legislative[lawmaking body],... for the society can never… lose the native and the original right it has to preserve itself, which can only be done by a settled legislative, and a fair and impartial execution of the laws made by it.” When a new government is established, it should be established by the people, by a society that believes in natural rights, and they preserve those rights through making and choosing a good legislative branch. In