The Enlightenment in Europe

Many Europeans were illiterate in this era, and many of those who could read didn't have extra money to spend on books or pamphlets. The people who actually took part in the enlightenment were a small minority within a minority. Imagining anything different took courage, creativity, and intelligence. In 18th century Europe, very few people had the will or the means to question things until they were forced to by circumstance during the French Revolution or in its aftermath.