Jaqueline Nuncio

Mr. Wisner

World History - 2nd T/Th

February 24, 2017

Understanding Society

The place of a woman is in a home; a statement widely believed around the 17th and 18th

century. During that time period, there were many changes occurring. A major change that was

taking place at the time was the introduction of new ways to understand and improve the society

was made by scientists called philosophes (otherwise known as philosophers). They believed that

if we were study our surroundings carefully, we would find common behavioral patterns that

affect the way our government and economics work. Seeing as they were patterns not widely

recognized or obvious to see, they were referred to as natural laws. The philosophers during this

time period believed in these natural laws because of Isaac Newton and his discoveries. The time

period of this may also be known as the Age of Reason. The four ideas presented at this time

were about different subjects -- government, religion, economy, and the social role of women --

and were made by John Locke, Voltaire, Adam Smith, and Mary Wollstonecraft. These ideas

ultimately came to the conclusion that everyone in our society should have individual freedom.

One of the first philosophers was John Locke, who contributed to a newly found idea

about the society. During the 1690s, England was a monarchy and Locke said that if the

government were to fail them, then the people have the right to create a new government. Locke

suggested not only the legislative, because it would be the best in keeping the society from losing

their native and original rights, but the executive as well, seeing as they would be the ones to
make sure new laws made are fair. In conclusion, Locke believed that all people are equal and

have the right to form a government that represents them. Furthermore, about 100 years later,

there was a new idea introduced by a man named Voltaire.

Voltaire, another great philosopher at his own time period, brought in a new idea when

representatives of all religions met in order to trade. He believed that the idea of allowing a great

diversity of religions coexist side by side was good because society was happy and peaceful,

rather than against each other all the time. Not to mention, that its good also because they

werent living in a time of an arbitrary. His idea was that us as individuals have the right to

practice the religion of our choosing. To address the topic of our economy, a discovery was made

by philosopher Adam Smith.

The next philosopher that also had an important idea during this time period was Adam

Smith, his idea being based on the economic system. He said that the government cannot make

these important economic decisions seeing as they are unable to micromanage the economy.

Smith also said that individuals work for the most personal gain that benefit their own interests

and when people pursue this, society gets better. To summarize, his main idea was that trade and

economic decision making was made by individuals and not the government. A controversial

topic during that time period was made by Mary Wollstonecraft.

Mary Wollstonecraft idea addressed the role of a woman in society. At the time she was

writing her new ideas, the French Revolution was going on. She said that women are made

inferior by ignorance and low desires. In order to end this, she suggested that women be

educated. She reached this conclusion through reason and experience. For that reason,
Wollstonecraft came up with the idea that both women and men should be equal, education being

a key factor in equalling the two.

In the same way, these ideas presented by Wollstonecraft, Locke, Smith, and Voltaire say

that to make society better -- in the aspects of government, economy, religion, and the place of a

woman -- people need individual freedom. Without their ideas, our society today would not have

the opportunities to enjoy these individual freedoms.