1. Aim: Explain the ideas of Hobbes, Locke, and Other Enlightenment Philosophers

2. Two Views on Government
Mid 1700’s: New intellectual movement stress reason & power of individuals to solve problems
Called The Enlightenment
Started from 2 English political thinkers
Thomas Hobbes
Expressed views in the Leviathan (1751)
Convinced that all humans were selfish & wicked
To escape bleak life, people had to hand over rights to strong ruler in exchange for law & order
Agreement called The Social Contract
John Locke
Believed that people could learn from experience, improve & govern themselves
People are born free with natural rights
Natural rights were life, liberty, & property
Governments job was to protect rights 2

3. Philosophes Advocate Reason
Enlightenment reached its height in France
Social critics of this period known as Philosophes (French for Philosopher)
Believed that people could apply reason to all aspects of life
5 concepts formed core of Philosophes
1) Reason
2) Nature
3) Happiness
4) Progress
5) Liberty 3

4. Other Philosophes Voltaire Combats Intolerance
Made frequent targets of the clergy, aristocracy, & the government
Never stopped fighting for tolerance, reason, freedom of religious belief, & freedom of speech
Montesquieu & Separation of Powers
French writer that devoted himself to the study of political liberty
Wrote Spirits of Law (1748) : Proposed that separation of powers would keep any group from gaining total control of power
Rousseau: Champion of Freedom
Committed to individual freedom
Civilization corrupted people’s goodness
Wrote Social Contract (1762) Only good government was one that was freely formed by people and came from consent of the governed 4