ENLIGHTENMENT THINKERS

1. Thomas Hobbes (1588 – 1679)

2. John Locke (1632 – 1704)
3. Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712 – 1778)
4. Baron de Montesquieu (1689 – 1755)
5. Voltaire (1694 – 1778)
 THOMAS HOBBES
(England)
Primary Source

• In nature, people were cruel, greedy and selfish. They would fight, rob, and
oppress one another.

• His view of human nature was negative, or pessimistic. Life without laws
and controls would be “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”

• To escape this people would enter into a social contract: they would give
up their freedom in return for the safety and order of an organized society.

• Therefore, Hobbes believed that a powerful government like an absolute

monarchy was best for society – it would impose order and compel
obedience. It would also be able to suppress rebellion.
 JOHN LOCKE (England)
Primary Source

• Locke’s ideas influenced Thomas Jefferson more

than anything else when Jefferson wrote the US
Declaration of Independence in 1776.

• Believed in natural laws and natural rights.

• We are born with rights because they are a part of nature, of our very
existence – they come from god.

• At birth, people have the right to life, liberty, and property.

• If a government fails in its obligation to protect natural rights, the people

have the right to overthrow that government.
 JEAN-JACQUES
ROUSSEAU
(France) Primary Source

• People are basically good but become corrupted by society (like

the absolute monarchy in France).

• For Rousseau, the social contract was the path to freedom:

people should do what is best for their community.

• The general will (of the people) should direct the government
toward the common good. Hence, the good of the community is
more important than individual interests.
 MONTESQUIEU
(France) Primary Source
Montesquieu’s ‘separation of powers’ and
‘checks and balances’ greatly influenced
James Madison and the other framers of
the US Constitution. These ideas are at the
core of American government to this day.

• He strongly criticized absolute monarchy and was a voice for democracy.

• Separation of Powers - the best way to protect liberty was to divide the
powers of government into three branches: legislative; executive; and
judicial.

• Checks and Balances – each branch of government should check (limit)

the power of the other two branches. Thus, power would be balanced
(even) and no one branch would be too powerful.
 VOLTAIRE
(France)
• Voltaire’s books were outlawed,
even burned, by the authorities.

• Advocated freedom of thought, speech, politics, and religion.

• Fought against intolerance, injustice, inequality, ignorance, and

superstition.

• Attacked idle aristocrats, corrupt government officials, religious

prejudice, and the slave trade.

• He often had to express his views indirectly through fictional

characters because he lived in an absolute monarchy in France.
 Impact of the Enlightenment
1. How did the Enlightenment thinkers bring change
in the government of the time period (absolute
monarchy)? (2 sentences)

Montesquieu brang a change to the absolute monarchy because he strongly criticized absolute
monarchy and fought for democracy. Thomas Hobbes believed that people were cruel greedy
and selfish and that they needed a ruler.
 Enlightenment Ideas -
Exceeding

✣ Now, you will follow the next set of

slides to critique the Enlightenment
ideas that have shaped government
 Your Own Government
2. Now, create a government system of your own based on the
Enlightenment ideas you saw on the previous slides. You must mention at
least 2 of them, but you don’t need to use all of them for your
government. You may outline your government system on the next two
slides. Make sure you mention and credit the philosophers that have
given you ideas for the way your government works and cite your source
used on the slide.
EXAMPLE
Philosopher’s Name:
Mary Wollstonecraft

Ideas you support:

Educational and social equality for women

Why are these ideas important to you AND your government?:

I believe that all people have a right to free education regardless of
gender. This would be good for my government because everyone
would be educated and able to contribute to the good of society.
 Your Own Government
(continued)
Philosopher #1:
Voltaire
Ideas you support:
I believe in freedom of thought,
speech, politics, and religion
Why are these ideas important
to you AND your government?:
These ideas are important to me because
people should be able to think and say what
they want and believe in the religion they feel
appropriate. This would be good for my
government because people wouldn't feel
trapped and restricted and feel like they have
some freedom .
Philosopher #2:
Montesquieu
Ideas you support:
I support democracy
and the best way to support
liberty is to have 3 branches. I
also believe in checks and
balances.
Why are these ideas important
to you AND your government?:
These ideas are important to me because I
believe that more than one person should have
power. I also believe that they should split the
power into 3 branches so each branch does not
have too much power and they should check
each other branches. This would be good for my
government because one person/branch will
not have to much power which keeps
everything in check.