HIS102Y1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 22: Wet Nurse, John Calvin, Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Document Summary
Note, voltaire (rousseau older contemporary) - was not a deep thinker - he was a wit. Someone who could point out the wit of the absurdities of society he didn"t offer much of a structure to replace the world he made fun of. Voltaire lacked a social vision, a political maturity - didn"t offer an ideological alternative. Voltaire believed in the capacity of people to lead happier lives by justification. Montenesquie was a deep thinker shaped the structure of american politics a concept of checks and balances, and division of powers. Despite his genius, he didn"t have a revolutionary influence, except in the us. Because he was an aristocrat, an elitist, who believed the elite had a role in shaping society, and didn"t have sympathy with those that were beneath him and of the revolutionary world. His solution was largely the reinvesting of power in his class. Those who had privilege, would use their privilege for good.
