Illuminism is the name by which the historical phenomenon that developed in different parts of Europe during the 18th century is known and which was characterized primarily by questioning the Old Regime, the idea of monarchy as a form of government and the traditional institutions of society such as the Church, for example, those who were owners of knowledge or power. This intellectual and political movement served as a profound influence for events of historical importance such as the French Revolution or the Independence of the United States.
The Enlightenment is considered one of the most important historical phenomena due to the influence it generated in the following decades as well as in subsequent centuries. The postulates of this intellectual movement would be taken up by the French revolutionaries who ended the monarchy and the Old Regime in 1789 and who would then give birth to the Contemporary Era.
The Enlightenment began when intellectuals from different European countries (France, England, Spain, Germany, etc.) began to raise questions about numerous aspects of 18th century society that had to do mainly with the monarchical form of government and corruption or backwardness. that it supposed, as well as with institutions that began to be considered archaic, such as the Church. The intellectuals, philosophers and scientists who were part of this movement undertook the task of summarizing all the empirical scientific knowledge (that is, based on the study of reality and not theology) in what became known as the Encyclopedia. Treaties of all kinds were concentrated in it, from questions of natural and exact sciences, astronomy, logic, philosophy, the arts and others. Opposed to the knowledge established by the Church, the Encyclopedia established itself as one of the purest elements of rational Western knowledge.
In addition to the achievements in the fields of science, the Enlightenment also meant important advances in questions of philosophy and politics, developing theories that began to strongly question the concentration of power represented by the monarchy, its corruption, the lack of participation of social groups and the lack of control over state spending. Thus, thinkers such as J.J. Rousseau, Montesquieu, Voltaire and others who raised the need to speak of the division of powers, a concept that assumes that there is no longer a single ruler but that there are several instances of control among those who exercise power. In addition, Rousseau raised the innovative idea of the popular will, referring for the first time in modern history to the right of the people to participate directly in the election of their representatives.
The name of Enlightenment comes from the idea that rational, non-theological, empirical knowledge based on the scientific method enlightens the human being, removes him from his place of imposition and blindness, allows him to know beyond religion and provides a more accurate look at reality.
