Factors Contributed to the Enlightenment - Essay Example

The Enlightenment The Enlightenment The enlightenment is historically regarded as the duration of western civilization that can be traced back to the 16th Century. Historians argue that it stretches through the 21st Century given the ever-changing nature of society. This period is characterised by philosophical, political and scientific revolutions that have swept away medieval ideologies over time (Perry, 2013). Other scholars term this period as The Age of Reason since it is at this time that individualism and reason were emphasized by Western intellectual as well as cultural forces. People realized the need of societal reforms hence challenging the authority exercised by traditional institutions such as the Catholic Church whose influence was deeply and widely rooted in society. Philosophers who influenced people’s thinking and reasoning through their work during The Enlightenment included: , John Locke, Francis Bacon, René Descartes and Isaac Newton among others (Perry, 2013). The era of enlightenment coincided with the scientific revolution led by Isaac Newton (NatilusMaker, n.d.). Literacy increased as a result of people deviating from religious texts and instead embracing new ideas especially from publications by philosophers. According to Bertrand Russell, a British philosopher who strongly opposed idealism, The Enlightenment was a manifestation of the schism that was greatly influenced by Martin Luther (Carey, 2015). The Enlightenment also takes into account the inclination of people towards democracy that was vigorously fought for in the 16th Century. It was influenced by the desire of Protestants to break away from the Catholic Church (Perry, 2013). Initially, democracy was only enjoyed by the elite class until the 19th Century when the emergence of political movements necessitated democratic citizenship. These moves contributed to what is seen today as freedom of speech. Formation of political parties to fight for human rights began as early as the 1500s. By the 1600s, political representation had taken course leading to the development of binding political instruments such as Habeas Corpus Act (1679). Colonization is yet another factor that contributes to The Enlightenment. America for instance was colonized by Europeans who had also settled in other parts of the world. By the 16th Century, competition to venture into new territories by colonies had become immense. It is only after American Revolutionary in 1783 that America gained independence and developed their first constitution in 1788 (Perry, 2013). Many other colonized nations then started fighting for their independence and establishing states. Other revolutions such as the French Revolution followed also followed in the 18th Century between 1789 and 1799. Slavery had also reached its peak by 1500 with strong empires from all over the world indulging in the slave trade due to its profitability. In countries such as Russia, slavery was majorly institutionalized until 1723 (History World, n.d.). It is estimated that the number of Africans enslaved in America between the 16th Century and the 19th Century was 12 million. As of today, slavery has been outlawed in all countries but still reflects through forced labour (Perry, 2013). By 1760, the industrial revolution had already started taking effect through mechanization of manufacturing processes. Iron production, as well as chemical processing, was slowly being improvised. People were now using coal instead of wood among other developments such as the invention of wind and water power (Perry, 2013). By 1840, when industrial revolution was coming to an end, so much had been contributed towards employment and capital investment (Ushistory, 2014). The general populations’ well-being and standard of living began to improve progressively governed by the forces of demand and supply that enhanced production. By the 19th Century, the industrial revolution that had begun in Britain had now spread to United States and Europe (Perry, 2013). Some of the things that were developed included: Roads, canals, railways, paper machines, chemicals and structures among other things. Another major achievement during The Enlightenment was agricultural modification that was achieved through Agrarian Revolution a period between 1927 and 1937 (Perry, 2013). People started cultivating foods using more improvised techniques that further led to social change. Communities that were initially practicing hunting and gathering started practicing agriculture for both subsistence and large scale commercial purpose. The enlightenment is further characterised by capitalism an economic system that was popularised through globalization. The private ownership of means of production by the elite still exists though states are putting in effort to deal with it through socialism. In the 17th Century through the 19th Century, capitalism led to exploitation and misuse of power. It also led to the emergence of social classes that has continuously enhanced social stratification and power inequality. Capitalism has been challenged by many historians although it still reflects in the contemporary society (Hessen, 2008). Scientific revolution is also a product of The Enlightenment that has added value to modern science through developments in biology, mathematics, physics and chemistry. These sciences have had a great impact specifically in medical fields through advanced research. Since the 18th Century, scientists have been able to explain different phenomena using science. Scientific transformation continues to take place today. Sharing of knowledge on different platforms continues to be functional in society (Kreis, 2012). The First World War and The Second World War, which took place between 1914-1918 and 1939-1918 respectively, also account for The Enlightenment. The First World War, which centred in Europe, led to significant political adjustments in many world nations. Nations started forming political alliances that would help them emerge stronger than their opponents. Conflict culminated into the war that brought about major political changes such as signing of binding peace treaties and defining national boundaries. Similarly, the Second World War brought about major changes in social structures and political alignment (SPGB, 2015). Globalization through international relations and integration is also a focus point. The Enlightenment period brought about assimilation of culture and ideas through a global platform such as the Internet. Globalization has further been enhanced by advanced infrastructure leading to major economic and cultural changes. Interconnections between world economies and cultures have improved since the 19th Century (GPF, 2015). Aspects such as tourism and trade have also been advanced through globalization hence having a special place in The Enlightenment. Different philosophies and theories have been developed to explain and critic The Enlightenment. New researchers continue to use the works of earlier historians and philosophers to explain different phenomena associated with The Enlightenment. Controversies have also arisen in terms of the role played by nature and the human mind in Enlightenment. Religious doctrines have also been used to explain different historical issues that are of concern. Different theories relate to different principles hence creating a lot of controversies (CSLI, 2014). It has been noted that many factors contributed to The Enlightenment in a progressive process. It is a product of ideas, inventions and actions both at individual, institutional and state levels. The process continues to take shape given that society is not static. Through experience, exposure and innovation, new knowledge continues to develop. Were it not for The Enlightenment, society would not be where it is today. Factors such as war and capitalism have enabled society to view human existence from a strategic point of view despite having negative implications. All in all, every building factor is important since in one way or another it contributes to The Enlightenment. References Carey, R. (2015). Russells Metaphysics. New York: City University of New York. Centre for the Study of Language and Information (CSLI). (2014). Enlightenment. Stanford: Stanford University. Global Policy Forum (GPF). (2015). Globalization. New York: Global Policy Forum. Retrieved from https://www.globalpolicy.org. Hessen, R. (2008). The Concise Encyclopaedia of Economics: Capitalism. Stanford: Stanford University. Retrieved from http://www.econlib.org. History World. (n.d.). History of Slavery: An Evil of Civilization. History World. Retrieved from http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?ParagraphID=cio. Kreis, S. (2012). Lecture on Modern European Intellectual History: The Scientific Revolution. The History Guide. Retrieved from http://www.historyguide.org. NatilusMaker. (n.d.). Enlightenment Movement. Retrieved from http://nautilusmaker.discoursehosting.net/t/enlightenment-movement/222 Perry, M. (2013). Western Civilization: A Brief History. (10th ed). New York: Houghton Mifflin. The Socialist Party of Great Britain (SPGB). (2015). What Caused the Two World Wars? London. Retrieved from http://www.worldsocialism.org. Ushistory. (2014). Economic Growth and the Early Industrial Revolution. Retrieved from http://www.ushistory.org. Read More