Mary Wollstonecraft And Adam Smith Analysis

Voltaire 's ideas were special, but many people of France did not like Voltaire because he somewhat agreed with having a monarchy. However, Voltaire believed in equality which was extremely important for the French Revolution. Voltaire wanted individualism, which was one of the main things keeping him on good terms with the people. Though he also believed that the government would fail without a proper structure with a monarch. (Voltaire 11).

“The most perfect education, in my opinion,is…to enable the individual to attain such habits of virtue as well render [her] independent” (Doc D). The Enlightenment was a time period from the early 17th century to the late 18th century. There were many philosophers who contributed to making The Enlightenment. John Locke was a man who wanted freedom of government during 1690 (17th century) in England. He wanted this because he believed everyone was born with natural rights and the government should respect them and whoever didn’t, the people would have the right to impeach them.

Adam Smith believed in individual economic decision-making because the people would be able to pursue their own interests without government input. In Adam Smith’s The Wealth Of Nations, Document C, he writes, “The [ruler] is completely discharged... no human wisdom or knowledge could ever be sufficient”. Adam Smith believed that without government interference every man can pursue his own interests in his own way.

The Enlightenment Figures In the 17th and 18th century well-educated people would gather and discuss political, religious, economics, and social questions. This was an important gathering. It took place in Europe and had four main figures. They each believed in human rights but had their own individual ideas about it.

Abigail Adams: thought women should be outraged at society for placing women in the same group as children. Abigial wanted the same right as men were demaning, but John Adams too thought women were compared to children. John made sure wives, children, and minrors (under 21) were dined rights. Phillis Wheatley: thought enslaved people should were rational and deserved liberty. Mary Wollstonecraft:

The Age of Enlightenment lasted from the 1620s to the 1780s, and was a period of time where many great thinkers emphasized individual freedoms and logical reasoning. Enlightenment challenged many prominent organizations, such as the Roman Catholic Church and some governmental organizations. One Enlightenment thinker, Jean-Jacques Rousseau (Voltaire), thought that “government should be responsible for the people and supply to them freedom and happiness. The people thus agree to be governed on such terms1”. Voltaire believed that the government should cater to the people’s needs, and not control its citizens and take away their freedoms.

Mary Wollstonecraft is a woman known particularly for her avocation of women’s rights. The book A Vindication of the Rights of Women, With Strictures on Political and Moral Subjects in today’s time is considered to be the first book written on the idea of feminism and expressed the ideals of feminist ideas. This book specifically addresses the need for women to be educated alongside men, and the nature of gender differences. There have been in the past others who have took a stand on this issue, but Wollstonecraft shaped an exposition for the women in her generation of Britain, who dealt with oppression that limited their chance in society, and restricted them to the household where women were placed. This essay will discuss Wollstonecraft’s

Mary Wollstonecraft was a radical Enlightenment writer. In one of her most famous literatures, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, Wollstonecraft envisions an efficacious society founded upon reason. Reason is the foundation of all intellect. If all members in society are equally intelligent, progress will be made to advance society. Wollstonecraft believes solving the disparities between women and men through an equal education is fundamental to the progression of society.

Every human society no matter how primitive or complex must have a power structure. Yet there can be many ways in, which power and authority are shared or sometimes not shared at all. Other the centuries there have been a variety of theories and systems to identify plus when possible implement the proper role of power and authority. There are instances of power and authority evolving over time as well as attempts to introduce ideal or utopian power structures. Concepts about the wielding and distribution of power have certainly altered over the centuries though not always in a progressive or democratic way.

Three social issues that concerned the Enlightenment thinkers during the 18th century are equality between men and women, equal education and job opportunities, and equal protection under law. Although these issues did not impact ALL of the Enlightenment thinkers directly, they all were associated in a sub-topic in each of the issues. Equality was an issue because women were not getting the same opportunities in the workforce, in government say, and even anything in law. For example, under the law, women had little protection, they could not retain a lawyer, inherit property, vote, or even have rights over their own children. One of the Enlightenment thinkers discusses these problems rather well.

From the late 1500’s to the late 1700’s, the Enlightenment period occurred. Thinkers and philosophers across Europe created ideas that changed the way people thought. For example, John Locke thought of the idea that everyone had natural rights. These rights consisted of the right to life, liberty, and property. Voltaire had the idea that the power lies in the hands of the people and their elected government.

The 17th and 18th century was a time known as the age of enlightenment or the age of reason. John Locke, Voltaire, Adam Smith, and Mary Wollstonecraft were all part of the enlightenment philosophers of the age of reason. During the age of reason philosophers would gather to discuss about politics, economics, religion, and the social role of women. All of the enlightenment philosophers made a huge impact on how we live today by fighting for what they believed in by sharing their ideas and thoughts. Voltaire was an extraordinary leading historical supporter of tolerance, he made a great change on the equality of religion today.