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Analysis: The Enlightened Philosophes Reject Absolutism

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The Enlightened Philosophes Reject Absolutism Absolutism was the main form of government in 17th century France and was also experimented with in England. Until the 18th century, Absolutism was never really challenged because it was the norm throughout the countries in the world who had taken on this type of government. Once enlightened philosophes such as Voltaire, Thomas Hobbes, and Montesquieu came into play, monarchs felt threatened by their philosophies because they were using the right to freedom of speech, the rejection of divine right, and the need for checks and balances to challenge particular aspects of absolutism. Voltaire rejected the concept of absolutism with his belief that people deserved the right to express whatever they

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