The eighteenth century equated individuality with freedom and assumed natural human equality

Evidence

The elaborations that the principle or ideal of individualism has undergone in the modern era differ according to the accentuation given to the first or the second of these meanings. On the whole, the eighteenth century sought individuality in the form of freedom, the lack of every kind of restraint on personal powers, regardless whether this restraint came from the estates or from the church, whether it was political or economic. But at the same time, the assumption prevailed that once men had been freed from all sociohistorical fetters, they would show themselves to be essentially equal; that “man in general,” along with all the goodness and perfection of his nature, was inherent in every personality, needing only to be emancipated from those distorting and diverting bonds. — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 650

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Nobility uniquely synthesized collective standardization with individual freedom — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 521; The eighteenth century made abstract universal humanity sacred over particular persons — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 532; Liberated individuals turn from equality toward distinguishing themselves from others — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 535 (+17 more)

Related

• Eighteenth-century rights theory assumes rights hold even for an isolated single human. (similarity 0.90)
• Liberated individuals turn from equality toward distinguishing themselves from others (similarity 0.89)
• Modern individuality values being this specific irreplaceable person, not mere freedom (similarity 0.89)
• The eighteenth century made abstract universal humanity sacred over particular persons (similarity 0.88)
• Eighteenth-century thought held races varied but humanity unified (similarity 0.88)
• Individuality and universal equality historically arise as twin reactions to inequality (similarity 0.87)
• True equality among people is impossible due to inescapable uniqueness (similarity 0.86)
• Nobility uniquely synthesized collective standardization with individual freedom (similarity 0.86)
• Individual liberty has become a cosmopolitan value beyond its Western origins (similarity 0.85)
• Individual uniqueness as a value denies equality rather than grounds it (similarity 0.84)
• Eighteenth-century individualism was quantitative while the romantic version was qualitative (similarity 0.83)
• Rising individuality necessarily yields belief in mankind’s ideal unity (similarity 0.83)
• Christian eternal-soul doctrine unites extreme individualism with universal equality (similarity 0.83)
• Universalizing equality made freedom-as-non-domination seem unrealistic (similarity 0.82)
• Equality achieved becomes the platform for further competition and surpassing (similarity 0.82)

Broader Connections

• Individuality and universal equality historically arise as twin reactions to inequality #corroborates (0.80) — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 687
• Individual uniqueness as a value denies equality rather than grounds it #complicates (0.60) — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 690
• True equality among people is impossible due to inescapable uniqueness #contradicts (0.60) — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 187
• Intelligence and philosophy have justified extermination as well as equality #complicates (0.50) — Frantz Fanon, Constance Farrington, Black skin, white masks, 107
• Ruling-personality cohesion and individual freedom both stem from group-shackle breaking #complicates (0.50) — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 670