The Enlightenment, also known as the "Century of Lights", was a European intellectual movement that emerged in France in the 17th century.
The main characteristic of this current of thought was to defend the use of reason over faith to understand and solve society's problems.
Illuminists praised the power of reason over that of faith and religion. With this, they believed that they could restructure society, still tied to the knowledge inherited from the medieval tradition.
Through the union of schools of philosophical, social and political thought, the Enlightenment sought to extend rational criticism in all fields of human knowledge.
Thus, they emphasized the defense of rational knowledge to deconstruct religious prejudices and ideologies. In turn, these would be overcome by the ideas of human progress and perfectibility.
In their criticisms, Enlightenment thinkers argued against mercantilist and religious determinations.
They were also averse to absolutism and the privileges given to the nobility and the clergy. This shook the foundations of the absolutist political and social structure.
