Kant proposes that it is not the individual’s intellect which has an effect upon society, but his use of this faculty. Even more so, it is his duty to humanity to throw off the shackles of his “self-incurred immaturity” (54). The inability to utilize reason results in a gradual decline of civilization. It is not that the individual lacks intelligence; it is that he fails to use it and is led along blindly by his superiors. Even when man is perfectly able to rid himself of this immaturity, he finds it far easier to remain blind. “It is so convenient to be immature…I need not think so long as I can pay” (54). Men are then convinced by those above them that to take a step towards conviction would not only be difficult, but also highly treacherous. Thus man is prevented from ever attempting to remove himself from this dismal condition and continues to sink towards a complete state of laziness and cowardice. Yet it is vital that man remove his immaturity so that society as a whole can achieve a necessary state of enlightenment, as is their right.
In order for society to enter a state of enlightenment the individual must possess the courage to utilize his own reason without relying on others. Kant proposes that not only should we want to enter a state of enlightenment, but that it is one of the “sacred rights of mankind” (58) and therefore our duty. The best way for the individual to reach this state is through a free society. Meaning a society in which the public use of reason is legitimized, necessary, and valued. An individual must do his job as instructed by a higher authority, whether that may be a clergyman addressing his congregation, or a teacher addressing his students. Although the individual may disagree with what he preaches, it is impossible to prove that there is not truth in such discourse. Therefore it is necessary to provide the individual’s pupils with this knowledge. This does not, however, prevent this same individual from writing and publishing criticisms of modern education, politics, religion, or the like. In this instance he is only offering his own opinions to the masses to be judged and torn apart; not to be taken as absolute truth. This process is a necessary part of enlightenment as it brings both the scholar and those who explore his works away from a state of ignorance. Thus, for Kant, it is vital that public use of reason, meaning an individual questioning of the rights and wrongs of the state, become a centralized part of any society.
It follows then that an ideal government would consist of members who would promote criticism of their rule by the masses. Yet even in a state lacking civil freedom, once the process of enlightenment begins it will spread throughout the government. Once the individual begins to question and use his reason he becomes able to act freely. Eventually this will influence the government of the state to ensure the preservation of civil freedoms. It is also stated that “men will of their own accord gradually work their way out of barbarism” (59) so long as they are not prohibited by their leadership. Implying that in an ideal state, enlightenment would occur naturally, as it is the natural state of man. Kant also propose that lack of the utilization of human reason with regards to religion “is the most pernicious and dishonorable variety of all” (59). In Kant’s era the church and the political system were inextricably linked (as they often can be today) and therefore reformation of the church was a vital part of societal enlightenment. Kant’s principles, however, can move beyond the church to a society more like the U.S.A. In either social structure, change, conviction, and individual reason are vital to enlightenment. Ultimately, it is the intellectual’s duty to use his reason in order to move society towards a state of enlightenment: it is his power.