Thomas Hobbes
Born: 1588
Died:1679 (England)
Influential Writings:
- Leviathan - "State of Nature” theory
Basic Ideas / Important Concepts:
- defended the power of the king
- Humans are evil, and need a strong government to control them.
- People should give up their rights in order to create a safe place to
live.
- This is called a “social contract”
- Church causes conflict in society, and therefore should be run by the king
John Locke
Born: 1632
Died: 1704 (England)
Influential Writings:
- Two Treatises of Government
Basic Ideas / Important Concepts:
- Agreed with Hobbes on some of the “state of nature” theory pertaining
to the social contract.
- Said natural rights were impossible to give up, they were inalienable)
- Social Contract was not an agreement with the people, but rather an
agreement between the people and the king
- Believed the king should have limited power.
- Believed that owning property was the most important natural right
- Liked a representative form of government
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AG 05
Charles de Secondat Montesquieu
Born: 1689
Died: 1755 (France)
Influential Writings:
- The Spirit of the Laws
Basic Ideas / Important Concepts:
- People live together only for survival purposes, and automatically go into a
“state of war” with each other in order to survive.
- This “state of war” led to laws and government
- Did not approve of a monarch, preferred a representative government.
- Thought government branches should be separate and equal, and should act as a check
and balance on each other.
Jean Jacques Rousseau
Born: 1712
Died:1778 (Switzerland)
Influential Writings:
- The Social Contract
Basic Ideas / Important Concepts:
- Man was basically good and was later corrupted by society.
- People were happy until others claimed ownership of property, which
resulted in competition.
- Social Contract was not an agreement, but rather made by the rich and forced upon the
poor.
- Agreed with Locke that man should never give up his rights.
- Thought the social contract should not give rights to a ruler, but to the people
- Direct democracy was better than a representative democracy
- His ideas influenced the “We the People” quote in the Constitution
- Thought religion divided and hurt society
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AG 05