“From the Enlightenment to Today: What They Did, Why They Did It, and What Has Happened Since” explores how key Enlightenment and Scientific Revolution thinkers sought to address the crises of their time. It examines their successes, unintended consequences, and how their ideas evolved—highlighting the need for further refinement and expansion today.
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Materials used in 2.10 Global Cultures, in which the Early Modern Period of the world (c. 1500 to 1780) was discussed.
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The text of handouts that accompany Shepway and District u3a Science, Philosophy, and Spirituality’s Meeting 2.10 – Global Cultures.
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Resources used to support Shepway and District u3a’s Science, Philosophy, and Spirituality Group’s Session 2.09: Global Trade. A look at the non-Eurocentric history of the world between 1600 and 1750, which saw the birth of Capitalism and Globalism.
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During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the pursuit of wealth and power through global trade drove European empires to seek direct access to lucrative goods like spices, sugar, and tobacco, reshaping economies and societies across continents. In Ming China, the introduction of a silver tax intensified demand for silver with severe social consequences, while in the Americas, labour-intensive crops spurred the brutal reliance on enslaved Africans. As European powers like the Dutch and English East India Companies clashed over trade monopolies, joint stock companies emerged, allowing broader public investment and profit-sharing. This new economic structure, alongside the crown’s reliance on commercial success, laid the groundwork for modern capitalism and its enduring global influence.
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