Philosophy

Written Works

Accomplishment

Thomas Hobbes

(1588-1679)

English philosopher/

scientist/ political theorist

Father of Conservatism

"made by the wills and agreement of men" called the "Commonwealth" Natural state of man is constant war with other. People make peace through self interest. People delegate total power to monarch rebellion breaks this basic contract

"Leviathan" or the Matter, Form, and Power of a Commonwealth, a philosophical study of the political absolutism that replaced the supremacy of the medieval church

Social Contract an idea that when a monarch no longer protects man from himself then man can break the social contract. This idea used by the writers of the Declaration of Independence

John Locke

(1632-1704)

English philosopher/ political theorist

Father of Liberalism

The state exists to preserve the natural rights of its citizens. When governments fail in that task, citizens have the rights and sometimes the duty to withdraw their support and even rebel. the social contract preserved the preexistent natural rights of the individual to life, liberty and property and that the enjoyment of private rights-the pursuit of happiness led to the common good.

"Two Treatises of Government"

limited government

idea given to the authors of the Constitution

the idea of majority rule

also ideas used to support Montesquieu's ideas of checks and balances

natural rights philosophy used to write the Bill of Rights

Rousseau

(Jean Jacques Rousseau) (1712-1778)

Geneva, Switzerland

philosopher/

social critic

institutions of government have corrupted man

government therefore must be based on popular sovereignty

man must control

"The Social Contract"

ideas used by the framers of the constitution to ensure that the basic rights of man were protected against government

Montesquieu

(Charles Louis de Secondat, Baron de la Brede et de Montesquiue)1689-1755)French political philosopher/ historian/jurist

the power of the government lay in the checks and balances system using three branches of government

"The Spirit of Laws"

his concepts of checks and balances influenced the framers of the Constitution of 1787

Voltaire

(Francois Marie Arouet)

1694-1778

French poet/ dramatist/ philosopher

believed that truth could be arrived at by reason.

(Father of the Enlightenment)

Natural law governs all things.

"Candide"

leader and chief organizer of the "Philosophes" propaganda tried to make practical use of the ideas of the enlightenment by protesting laws that opposed reason