Conference Paper · March 023 citations reads 163 authors

The XXXVI International Scientific Symposium "Multidisciplinary Studies of the Turkish World" 
The 25
th
 of March 2023 ISBN: 978-605-72481-0-7 Eskishehir / Türkiye 
 
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He wrote: “Man’s nature is such that he cannot live outside of society” [3; 180]. A state formed by the will of 
God cannot come into existence without the prior free consent of the people. The authority of the head elected 
by the people is the only supreme authority (Əfəndiyev, 2002: s. 181).
The prehistoric age of liberalism, classical liberalism, or the age of liberalism, reached its climax during 
the Renaissance and thr Protestant Reformation (reorganization of the church). Famous novelist Ayn Rand 
describes the Renaissance as the nationalist, individualistic and secular variety of liberalism. The Middle Ages 
was a period of mysticism, blind faith, devotion to the dogma that faith is superior to reason. The Renaissance 
was the revival of reason, the liberation of the human mind, the victory of racionalism over mysticism, which 
led to the birth of science, individualism, and freedom. 
 
David Boys prefers the role of the Renaissance in the development of liberal ideas in history (Бойз, 
2004: p. 38). In his opinion, although it is not correct to call Protestant reformers Martin Luther (the founder 
of German Protestantism - Lutheranism) and John Calvin liberal, by ending the monopoly of the Catholic 
Church, they unknowingly paved the way for the development of Protestant sects. With the Treaty of 
Augsburg in 1555, the Protestant Church was established in Europe along with the Catholic Church. After the 
Reformation, most people saw that the diversity of religions and moral views in society (Lutheran, Calvinist, 
Anglican) did not lead to the dissolution of society. On the contrary, diversity and competition made society 
stronger. XVI century, there was a greater need for the state to support the weakened church as a result of the 
internal division and the Reformation movement, rather than protection of the state by the church. The 
weakening of the church manifested itself with the strengthening of royal absolutism (Ismayılov, 2013: p. 73). 
This was more clearly reflected in the rule of Louis XVI in France and the Stuart dinasty in England. The 
Stuart dynasty, which was in power in England, established an absolute monarchy. They attempted to deny 
common rights and raise taxes without the consent of Parliament, England’s representative body.
During this period, absolutism was established in France and Spain, while the Netherlands became a 
country of religious tolerance, free commerce, and limited governement. The Netherlends, which gained its 
independence from Spain in the XVII century, created a confederation of cities and provinces, became the 
leading trading state of the century and hotbed for those fleeing persecution. British and French dissidents 
publushed their books in Netherlands cities. One of these refugees, the Netherlands philosopher Benedict 
Spinoza, of Jewish origin (his parents came to the Netherlands from Portugal due to Catholic persecution), 
described the happy interplay between religious tolerance and the prosperity of XVII century Amsterdam in 
his “Religious-Political Treaties”. So, in the XVII century, all nations saw the fruits of freedom in this 
flourishing republic. In Amsterdam, all people lived in great harmony and trusted their property to anyone. 
Since they did not need anyone’s patronage, these people lived with honor. Spiniza proposed the idea of 
freedom of conscience and speech. He volued democracy more among the state forms. According to the 
philosopher, the democratic form of government is able to ensure the general well-being of people, the 
dominance of intelligence and freedom at the appropriate level (Əfəndiyev, 2002: s. 155-156).
The Netherlands experience of social harmony and economic progress inspired protoliberals in England 
and abroad. Humanity was on the verge of the XVII century English revolution, which played a special role in 
the development of liberalism.