The Enlightenment consisted of the elites of an agrarian state, Bourbon France, trying and mostly failing to understand the neighboring commercial societies that were starting to pull ahead of them.
That is an interesting point of view. I have never heard it before, but it makes sense.
Of course, it is important to remember that the British and the Dutch played an important role in the Enlightenment. I think they were trying to understand why their own nations were pulling ahead as well.
The Enlightenment consisted of the elites of an agrarian state, Bourbon France, trying and mostly failing to understand the neighboring commercial societies that were starting to pull ahead of them.
That is an interesting point of view. I have never heard it before, but it makes sense.
Of course, it is important to remember that the British and the Dutch played an important role in the Enlightenment. I think they were trying to understand why their own nations were pulling ahead as well.