A brilliant and revelatory book about the history of ideas David Runciman Fascinating and important Ruth Scurr The Enlightenment is popularly seen as the Age of Reason a key moment in human history when ideals such as freedom progress natural rights and constitutional government prevailed. In this radical reevaluation historian Richard Whatmore shows why for many at its centre the Enlightenment was a profound failure.By the early eighteenth century hope was widespread that Enlightenment could be coupled with toleration the progress of commerce and the end of the fanatic wars of religion that were destroying Europe. At its heart was the battle to establish and maintain liberty in free states and the hope that absolute monarchies such as France and free states like Britain might even subsist together equally respectful of civil liberties.