(5) History of Europe

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The Age of Enlightenment



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The impact of the Enlightenment


The impact of the Enlightenment went far beyond France and America, however, affecting virtually every country in Europe and all levels of society.

Some European monarchs even embraced the Enlightenment (or at least some parts of it) and used its principles to introduce reforms; these “enlightened despots” included Frederick the Great in Prussia, Catherine the Great in Russia, and Maria Theresa in Austria. In Holland and Britain, liberals within the political establishment used Enlightenment ideas to effect change. In Spain and Italy, as in France, intellectuals used them to criticize and prod the old regime.

Enlightenment ideas provided inspiration for political ideologies emerging in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, from liberalism to socialism and communism. The emphasis on reason, experimentation, observation, and empiricism laid the foundation for modern social science and the way we study and understand human society today. But most importantly, the whole tenor of the Enlightenment laid the foundation for human rights, popular sovereignty, tolerance, and respect for law, values that lie at the core of modern European society.


Some references:

 

The Impact of Enlightenment in Europe 

 

SparkNotes: The Enlightenment (1650–1800): Overview

 

"What was the impact of the Age of Enlightenment?"

 

The Enlightenment - Washington State University

 

The Enlightenment - Origins and Impact - Tennessee State ...

 

Impact of Enlightenment: Information from Answers.com

 

Effects of the Enlightenment - Archaeology - About.com

 

The Enlightenment in Europe

 

The Enlightenment throughout Europe

 

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