ENLIGHTENMENT THINKERS CHAPTER 6 SECTION 2 THOMAS HOBBES

ENLIGHTENMENT THINKERS CHAPTER 6, SECTION 2

THOMAS HOBBES MAIN IDEAS: • SOCIAL CHAOS • MEN ARE SELFISH AND COMPETITIVE • A LIFE WITHOUT GOVERNMENT IS “SOLITARY, POOR, NASTY, BRUTISH, AND SHORT”- A SOCIAL CONTRACT WAS NEEDED TO COLLECTIVE SECURITY • GIVE ALL POWER TO ABSOLUTE GOVERNMENT TO CONTROL EVIL BEHAVIOR

JOHN LOCKE MAIN IDEAS: • MAN IS INHERENTLY GOOD (BLANK SLATE) • SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE • 3 NATURAL RIGHTS: LIFE, LIBERTY, AND PROPERTY • GOVERNMENT EXISTS TO PRESERVE NATURAL RIGHTS • PEOPLE AGREE TO GIVE UP SOME OF THEIR RIGHTS FOR THE SAKE OF PRESERVING SOCIETY BUT HAVE THE RIGHT TO REBEL • REPUBLIC IS THE BEST FORM OF GOVERNMENT

MONTESQUIEU MAIN IDEAS: • GOVERNMENT MUST HAVE A SEPARATION OF POWERS (3 BRANCHES: EXECUTIVE, LEGISLATIVE, AND JUDICIAL) TO ENSURE FREEDOM AND LIBERTY • CHECK AND BALANCES • HUMANE PUNISHMENT AND PROPORTIONAL TO THE CRIME

ROUSSEAU MAIN IDEAS: • ESTABLISHMENT OF GOVERNMENT IS A SOCIAL CONTRACT BETWEEN THE PEOPLE AND THE RULER(S) • INVEST ALL RIGHTS INTO SOCIETY (“GENERAL WILL”) • THE GOVERNMENT MUST PRESERVE “VIRTUE” AND “LIBERTY” OR THE PEOPLE WILL OVERTHROW IT

VOLTAIRE MAIN IDEAS: • RELIGION AND CHURCH AUTHORITY ARE BAD • UNIVERSAL NATURAL LAWS AND HUMAN RIGHTS EXIST FOR ALL • EVIL IS DONE WHEN MAN STRAYS FROM NATURAL LAW • WORST CRIMES IN SOCIETY ARE INJUSTICE AND BIGOTRY From: France Wrote: Candide Letters Concerning the English Nation Philosophical Dictionary