Dbq Essay On Philosophes

Change is only possible when people want change. People called philosophes, well-educated people in the 18th century, explored their personal reasons on how to change the society the lived in. They believed that natural laws were the main key to understanding what we do and why we do it. The key to a better society was more freedom to do what we want. Taking that into consideration, individual freedom is the key to establishing a more effective government, economy, religous peace, and greater gender equality.

The philosophe, John Locke, believed that individual freedom would create a much better government. Locke argued that are free in a state of nature and that they have the right to preserve that freedom. The easiest way to do that is to create a legislative branch that makes the laws. To also make an executive branch that carries out those laws (Doc A). If the government is failing them, they have the right to prevent that failure. They are to step in and “provide for themselves,” (Doc A). Locke is a

Before Adam Smith’s push for this, it was common for governments to make most the decisions about what to trade and how much everything was. He wrote The Wealth of Nations to help this cause change. He also wrote that if individuals pursue their own self-interest, they would help the society (Doc C). Individual freedom is the key to a better economy as well.

The people also debated that individual freedom was the key to religious peace and human well-being. Voltaire, french philosophe, believed that governments denied free religious expression because of conflict. But contradicting that, people having the right to practice their own religion freely. They will be able to get along (Doc B). Restricting the right to chose which god you want to praise only leads to even worse