Impact Of The Enlightenment

Throughout the course of history, there have come many eras of change and revolution in thought and practise, but none have been as momentous and influential in shaping the modern world as the period of Enlightenment that spread across Europe between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. With the rise of “enlightened” thought came the influx of new writers that brought forth new and stimulating ideas that caused quite a stir in conservative areas of the world. Widely acclaimed writers or philosophes, such as Voltaire, touched upon concerning and hypocritical social norms in satirical pieces in an effort to provide the public with honest commentary of how they saw the world. Next, there was Adam Smith, a writer who in many ways became the

Voltaire, using a combination of satire and reality in his work Candide, brought his readers and audience harsh truths of slavery and important criticisms of the aristocracy. He wrote of social tolerance and acceptance, which was rare during his time, but it was a product of the Enlightenment. Next, Adam Smith wrote in An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations about the importance and benefits of open trade and the downfalls of the mercantilism system that monopolized trade. His ideas inspired a shift in the international economic landscape, with effects still being felt today with new multinational agreements. Lastly, politics had an important role in the Enlightenment, and writers such as John Locke arguably wrote some of the most important ideas behind human rights in addition to power and authority. His work would go onto forever change the world’s perception of adequate governance and bring a new light to modern democracy. The writers and philosophers of the Enlightenment era has some of the most powerful and lasting impacts on foundation of modern