Enlightenment philosophers <br /><br />We will know a little more about the <br />greatest philosophers of the "Age of Enlightenment", in which <br />Most were from France. <br />These criticized, especially in his works: <br />• Remnants feudal; <br />• The absolutist regime and commercialism; <br />• The Church's influence on society; <br />• The inequality of rights and duties between individuals. <br />Among the French Enlightenment stood out: <br />Montesquieu (1689 - 1755) - His major work was entitled The Spirit <br />Laws and published in 1748. The theoretical addressed the various forms of <br />government, exposing the need to separate the functions of the state in three <br />independent powers. His work had a great influence on the formation of <br />national governments in the post-revolutionary period. <br /><br />Voltaire (1694 - 1778) - Known as the most important philosopher of the Enlightenment, wove several critical privileges of the nobility and clergy, being forced into exile in England. Among his major works stand out <br />"English Letters" and "Candide" and has also collaborated in the preparation of <br />"Encyclopedia". Strongly criticized absolutism of divine right, <br />proposing a more active participation of the bourgeoisie in the aspects of government as a way to secure peace and freedom. As Montesquieu <br />his ideas influenced not only other theorists, but rulers general. <br /><br />Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712 - 1778) - Defended the lower classes <br />detriment of bourgeois society, being considered the thinker <br />most radical of his time. His ideas are based on justice and <br />equality through sovereignty popular and are summarized in <br />his works: "Discourse on the Origin of Inequality among Men" <br />and "Social Contract". <br /><br />At first, the author accuses of destroying private property freedom <br />social. In the book "Social Contract", Rousseau claimed to reduce <br />inequality, men should consent to a social contract, <br />whose essence was the will of the community prevail over the will <br />individual. For the philosopher, the government was the "minister of the sovereign," that is, if the people were deemed sovereign, his power was subjugated to same. <br /><br />In summary, the modern thinkers also known <br />Enlightenment broke as a paradigm of the time, <br />to strongly criticize the old regime, characterized <br />by absolutist power.
