What positions did the philosophes take on the issues of their day?

Answer ONE of the two essay questions below. Be sure to take a deep breath and sketch an outline before you start to write in formal style. Remember also to provide an introduction with thesis statement, supporting points illustrated by examples from the course texts and materials, and a conclusion. Describe the Enlightenment and evaluate its significance in TWO areas: science, culture, economics, religion, and/or politics. What positions did the philosophes take on the issues of their day? The 17th and 18th centuries saw the creation of the modern nation-state as a political unit. It was also the age of absolutism. But, whether or not they actually adopted an absolutist system, all western governments were shaped by the political and economic ideas that led to the absolutist system. Compare and contrast the rise of a modern, centralized government in two of the following states: Great Britain., France, the Dutch Republic, Prussia, Spain. You answer should consider the degree to which they became absolutist states and why or why not they adopted absolutist forms of government. Instructions: All written work should employ footnotes (NOT textnotes) and adhere to the guidelines laid out in “How to Footnote,” in the Introductory Discussion. The essay includes 5-7 pages of footnoted text (footnotes placed at the bottom of the page) and a bibliography. Include an introduction with a thesis statement, the chronologically developed main portion of the paper, and a conclusion. Do not add new information to the conclusion, but use it to summarize and analyze your ideas. Remember to write in a chronological fashion, using past tense, active voice verbs. Always add dates in a History paper! Remember to include the full name and title of a person when he/she is first mentioned. Use the person’s last name from henceforth. Write a neutral paper. Use your conclusion to provide your opinions, but remember that your opinions must be backed up by the presented facts. The Mechanics: Create a separate Word document and attach it to your Assignments submission. Label it: Last name, Final Essay. Do not include a cover page. Place your name, class, and date in the upper-right corner. Include a title, centered on the page. Number each page consecutively in the upper-right corner. Use a readable 12-point font, such as Times New Roman or Courier New. Double-space the paper; do not space four times between paragraphs. Indent each paragraph five spaces. All footnotes must be numbered consecutively and placed at the bottom of the page. Do not use endnotes. Remember: all written work should employ footnotes (NOT textnotes) and adhere to the guidelines laid out in “How to Footnote,” in the Introductory Discussion. In every job you have, you will have to learn new programs and systems. Include a bibliography at the end of the paper, divided into primary and secondary sources. Write 5-7 pages of footnoted text. The bibliography is an extra page. Write complete, clear sentences. Use the active voice, past tense. Avoid weak, unclear “to be” verbs and verb phrases. Remember: Write a neutral paper. Do not use “I,” “we,” “our country,” “the dear old US of A.” Do not use abbreviations for countries, events, or names. Write out in full the United States, France, Russia, Great Britain, and so forth. Avoid slang and informal speech. You are being trained to write well for your careers. Know the difference between the possessive and the plural usage of words. Rely on a dictionary and a thesaurus. Avoid repeating words.