The Enlightenment On The Creation Of A Thriving Society

Tanika Wolff, Group 1 â€Å"Central to the Enlightenment is the notion that equality of educational opportunity is essential to the creation of a flourishing society. Discuss with reference to both a liberal and a conservative perspective† The driving force of the 18th century Enlightenment was to liberate individuals from the oppression of religion. To challenge the despotism of the traditional absolutes, it was imperative that the people were liberated from their dependence on various hegemonies so that they need not rely on such institutions for guidance. In order to do so, individuals needed to mature their intellect, relying on reason and rationality to venture towards autonomy. Consequently, education of the people became crucial in the†¦show more content†¦Through analysing the beliefs at the core of the two polar political ideologies, it can be concluded that liberalism has a more conceivable notion of the foundations inherent to a prosperous society. As a political ideology, conservatism is defined by the desire to conserve and is reflected in a suspicion of political and social change. Conservatives venerate tradition as it is seen to generate social cohesion by linking people to the past and providi ng them with a sense of identity. Conservatives interpret society as a living entity, which is hierarchical by nature and characterised by established social gradations. Thus when reflecting upon society with a conservative perspective, genuine social equality is but a myth, rejected as undesirable and unachievable. Central to this ideology is the notion that inequality of wealth is inevitable, and is justified through the correspondence of differing social responsibilities. Burke a political philosopher who challenged the French Revolution as destructive and counter-productive believed Europe was already representing a flourishing society when the Revolution began. Burke argued that it was not enough to be free, life needed meaning and such could be found in tradition, folklore and myth. In Reflections on the Revolution in France (Burke, E 2004)i, Burke alludes to his position on education, claiming â€Å"there ought to be a system of manners in every nation which a well formed mind to be disposed to relish’ (Burke, E