Filozofska istraživanja, Vol. 37 No. 3, 2017.
Review article
https://doi.org/10.21464/fi37313
Pitfalls of Enlightened Absolutism: The Case of Ignác Martinovics
Vesna Stanković Pejnović
orcid.org/0000-0001-6593-0434
; Institut za političke studije, Svetozara Markovića 36, RS–11000 Beograd
Abstract
Philosophers of the Enlightenment focused their efforts into promoting tolerance, constraining fanaticism, introducing laws or improving life conditions. Philosophers and their students had a role to play in the practical application of the policy of enlightened absolutism, but it was neither unimportant nor without consequences. They wrongly believed that rulers could be changed because there is an obvious similarity between many of the reforms and principles that they advocated. As the follower of the Enlightenment, being a social or an intellectual phenomenon, Martinovics insisted that the Enlightenment was primarily a philosophical phenomenon, basing his philosophical contemplation on Holbach’s and Spinoza’s thought. He sees himself as a part of the circle of philosophers who were chiefly responsible for propagating concepts of toleration, individual freedom, equality, security, liberty of expression and the press, and federalisation. These ideas were identified as the primary reason for the overthrow of authority, tradition, monarchy, faith, and privilege. Martinovics stayed faithful to these ideas, and at the time of the waning of enlightened absolutism, from adviser became a convict.
Keywords
Ignác Martinovics; Enlightenment; Baruch de Spinoza; Baron d’Holbach
Hrčak ID:
196324
URI
Publication date:
23.11.2017.
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