4a: Early Enlightenment Precursors to Religious Humanism
the abolitionist movement, but not until 1787 when they joined with the Quakers in the formation of the Society for the Abolition of the Slave Trade.
The Philosophes, Enlightenment thinkers who believed in human progress, were also active in various social causes. (The Philosophes will be discussed in greater detail in the next article). Condorcet, in particular, was a French Philosophe active in the movement against slavery. Marie Jean Antoine Nicolas de Caritat, marquis de Condorcet (1743-1794) spoke out against organized religion and superstition as well as slavery, and was active in promoting religious toleration. He promoted the use of reason, democracy and especially the idea of human progress and perfectibility. He advocated the use of the social sciences to implement a liberal democracy that would increase human progress.
William Pitt (1759-1806), the twice Prime Minister of Great Britain, also spoke out against slavery and in favor of equal rights for Catholics. However, his measures failed to pass.
British statesman Charles James Fox (1749-1806) was more successful. He ensured passage of a law abolishing slavery and helped repeal laws that discriminated against religious minorities.
In the U.S., Thomas Paine, whose Age of Reason helped popularize American Deism, wrote an article called "African Slavery in America," condemning the practice of slavery. The U.S. Emancipation Proclamation abolished slavery in 1863.
(The rest of this article discussing the precursors to Religious Humanism during the latter part of the Enlightenment in the 18th century, including the reference list, is continued in part 4b due to length. However, both are available now.)
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