The scientific revolution brought on new attitudes and beliefs. All humans were considered equal and born with potential for progress and improvement. This general thought led to new discoveries. The scientific revolution most obviously affected formal intellectual life, but it also promotes changes in commerce, politics, philosophy, and religion. .
The rise of commerce and banking ideas led to a commercial revolution. This revolution broke down isolation and integrated Europe commercially, not politically. A steady growth rate of colonial trade and internal commerce started an increase in manufacturing. Capitalism, based on demand and competition began. People began making investments hoping to return larger profits and began making trading ventures. All of the manufacturing led to a use of labor that was not for food. People were drawn into this domestic system and became materialistic. They began to focus on physical things and less on the spiritual world.
A shift in political power also became apparent in this revolution. After the Black Death the citizens in Europe placed a lot of the blame on those that were in power. The king and his aristocracy had less credibility with the people. Since trading and commerce was building up the merchant class had more money then the king and actually loaned him money. This led to a lot of corruption. The king and its aristocracy could no longer control the growing nation states. During this time and Italian named Machiavelli wrote a book saying that people should not rule according to preconceived things such as divine right. The new attitude towards politics was that every human was born reasonable. Since all humans are reasonable then if they cooperated together then they would achieve more then they would individually. Therefore self government is possible and desireable.
Philosophy played a major part in thinking in the scientific revolution.
