Further Understanding of the Enlightenment

Further Understanding of the Enlightenment

The Age of Enlightenment: The Age of Enlightenment was driven by advancements in western philosophy, scientific and academic understanding. After nearly constant warfare in the preceding centuries, Europeans (now more educated in general) began to question motivations and actions of state and church. They began to imagine a better way of life built on pragmatism, reasoning, fairness, individual rights (humanism), as opposed to the years of oppression, superstition, religious fanaticism, absolutism, tyranny, etc. As opposed to the traditional mode of thought, where the public was thought to be destined to serve authority (Kings, Priests, etc.), people began to reason that the state should exist to serve the individual, in order to ensure the greatest amount of good for the greatest number of people. This was in opposition to the traditionally-held view of striving for the greatest amount of glory, power and wealth for the select few. This philosophy would contribute to the wave of revolutions throughout the Americas and Europe toward the end of the 18th century and into the 19th century. Monarchist governments that did survive the revolutions of the 1800s would generally be forced to share power with a democratically-elected parliaments.

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The Enlightenment Leads to Capitalism: As Europe was transformed by a shift from monarchist to democratic governments, the average person became more enfranchised in the affairs of their respective governments. This enfranchisement of the individual also spread to the economic realm, resulting in systems that gave the individual a greater opportunity to share in the wealth. Under new Enlightenment ideals, it was no longer acceptable to force the general public to buy goods at inflated prices from government-protected monopolies, established among and between the elite. Fair competition was seen as a much more equitable approach, where anyone conceivably had the opportunity to compete for business, which also gave consumers a choice, rewarding fair pricing, sufficient quality and efficiency. Thus, Mercantilism (protectionism, monopolistic, market manipulating, win-lose mentality) gave way to Capitalism (free competition, free markets, win-win mentality). It was argued that free markets would result in the greatest degree of efficiency, as the individual pursuit of self-interest would result in the collective good of the society. The labor class could also benefit, by essentially selling their services, and accepting the most attractive offer, which in turn could benefit the merchant (contrary to previous belief) by gaining a more skilled and productive work force (as workers had more motivation to improve themselves and work productively). Great Britain led the way in operating as a capitalistic economy by ending protectionism (monopolies, excessive tariffs, etc.), a trend that spread to other western European nations. Eastern Europe would remain behind Western Europe, as they were not able to compete in free markets on a level playing field. Therefore, Eastern Europe remained feudalistic. The U.S. also subscribed to the Free Market Economy, adding another significant trade partner for Great Britain and other Western European nations. However, it was not applied in all participating nations equally. France was a more elitist society than Great Britain, with a much less-educated middle/lower class. Elitist policies bred inefficiencies, contributing to economic collapse that helped bring about the French Revolution. Also, Great Britain did not always extend its capitalistic ideals to its colonies. Forcing American colonies to buy from government-backed monopolies helped cause the American Revolutionary War.

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Industrial Revolution: Capitalism coincided with the rise of the Industrial Revolution as production became much more efficient, a natural development in a capitalistic system. The Industrial Revolution began in Great Britain in the late 1700s, and spread throughout the rest of Europe, U.S. and Japan from there. Great Britain had a well-educated middle/low class, access to generous coal deposits, and a dense population without room to expand (forcing innovation to sustain). Furthermore, Britain was less ravaged by the wars that severely inflicted continental Europe. It also had (by far) the most powerful navy and adept commercial fleet, enabling a competitive advantage in international trade, further fueling the Industrial Revolution. France would lag behind, since it had a top-caliber upper class, but an uneducated lower-class, and would be ravaged by war in its near abroad and on it own soil, as was also the case with much of the rest of continental Europe. France also lacked sufficient coal deposits. Germany would not experience the industrial revolution until late in the 1800s, as it was still fragmented, and tariffs existed between principalities, resulting in a more backward economy which was not conducive to sophisticated advancements. Italy would not be involved either, as it was still a divided, foreign-ruled nation. Up until this time, the Netherlands was the wealthiest nation, but upon being militarily devastated by both Great Britain and France, and not being able to keep up during the Industrial Revolution (lack of coal deposits), it fell behind.

Fervent Nationalism: Major powers developed insatiable appetites for expansion, gaining resources, wealth, military build up, and power. The mercantilistic mind set dictated that nations cannot exist harmoniously with one another in the same proximity. One must completely triumph over the other. Therefore, it was critical to gain at the expense of rivals, leading to conflict on the continent and abroad, which fed uninhibited colonial expansion. In the pre-capitalist, pre-democratic era, wealth was used to create war machines instead of promoting the greatest amount of good for the greatest amount of people, such as humanistic/social causes or economic development. Great Britain-French conflicts were a prime example. With vast amounts of land in America, they still fought each other (along with the natives) as though it were a zero-sum game (fight until somebody wins everything), rather than coexisting, with everyone prospering due to the vast amount of land and resources available for all. This culminated into first “global war” (French & Indian War which dovetailed into the War of the Grand Alliance). In this case, Great Brtain rose to become the world's greatest super power, while France was devastated, leading to the French Revolution at the end of the 1700s.

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