The light of freedom in the age of enlightenment (2): England and France

Iako je filozofija (baš kao i ceo pokret) prosvetiteljstva rođena u Nizozemskoj i Engleskoj u kasnom 17. i ranom 18. veku, postojali su značajni problemi u definisanju slobode. Do sredine 18. veka, pod uticajem 'nacionalnog merkantilizma' (Maks Veber), sloboda se poimala u sve više kolektivističkim crtama, doprinoseći stvaranju političke opcije nacionalnog liberalizma. Zbog toga su u drugoj polovini 18. veka ove dve zemlje progresivno gubile značaj za pokret prosvetiteljstva, da bi na njegovo vodeće mesto došle dve nove zemlje, koje su otvarale novu političku opciju demokratskog liberalizma: Sjedinjene Američke Države i Francuska. Ipak, individualna sloboda se tokom svog filozofskog i insitucionalnog uspona u doba prosvetiteljstva suočavala ne samo sa jednom, nego sa dve opasnosti: s jedne strane, od opasnosti nestajanja u nacionalnoj slobodi, i, s druge strane, od opasnosti postajanja neobuzdanom i (samo)destruktivnom. (Nacionalni) liberalizam koji je stasavao u Engleskoj u 18. veku postao je svedokom prve opasnosti, dok je druga opasnost nastala pod okriljem Francuske revolucije. Francuzi su prvi u modernoj epohi shvatili da je svetlost slobode prejaka da bi se bez znatnih mera opreza koristila u izgradnji liberalnog civilnog društva. Zato je određeno umeravanje moralo da bude preduzeto. Ideja čovečnosti, tj. prava čoveka, na kraju je pronađena kao najbolja za rešavanje zadatka očuvanja individualne slobode, bez žrtvovanja socijalnih veza među slobodnim individuama.Although the philosophy (as well as the whole movement) of Enlightenment was born in the Netherlands and England in the late 17th and early 18th century, there were considerable problems in defying the freedom. By the mid 18th century, under the influence of 'national mercantilism' (Max Weber), the freedom was perceived in more and more collective terms, giving bith to the political option of national liberalism. That is why in the second half of 18th century this two countries have been progressively loosing importance for the movement of Enlightenment and two new countries emerged at its leading position, striving for democratic liberalism: United States of America and France. However, individual freedom faced not one, but two dangers during its philosophical and institutional development in the Age of Enlightenment: on the one hand, the danger of vanishing in the national freedom, and, on the other hand, the danger of becoming unbound and (self)destructive. The emerging (national) liberalism in England in the 18th century witnessed the first danger, while the second danger appeared in the wake of the French revolution. The French were the first in the Modern epoch to realise that the light of freedom is to powerful to be used without considerable percussions in the establishment of liberal civil society. Therefore, some moderation hat to be taken into consideration. The idea of humanity, i.e. human rights, was at the end found as most helpful in solving the task of preserving individual freedom, without sacrifying social bonds between free individuals