1. American Government Early Political Thinkers
January 31, 2019
American Government Early Political Thinkers

2. WARM UP HSA Question of the Day
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is a major regulatory agency in the American government.
What does the EPA do?
Protects the natural environment by conserving natural resources and trying repair damage or reverse trends.

3. Vocabulary
Philosopher -
A social critic, gives their opinions on society, people and their interactions.

4. What life is like before society
Vocabulary
State of Nature -
What life is like before society
or government.

5. Vocabulary
Social Contract - People give up some of their freedom in exchange for security and protection.

7. Think About It …
• What would life be like without a government or laws? • Would you want to live in a society without a government or laws? Why or why not? Explain.

8. What continent
is circled?

10. English Philosopher (1588 – 1679)
Thomas Hobbes
English Philosopher (1588 – 1679)
Name of
Famous Writing:
Leviathan

11. English Philosopher (1588 – 1679)
Thomas Hobbes
English Philosopher (1588 – 1679)
Thoughts on the
State of Nature:
Believed people were born cruel, brutish and selfish; because there was freedom (and no security) people would naturally be at war over resources to survive.

12. Thoughts on the Social Contract:
Thomas Hobbes
English Philosopher (1588 – 1679)
Thoughts on the
Social Contract:
People give up their rights
in exchange for protection
from the government;
people give up nearly ALL
of their rights to a sovereign.

13. Preferred Type of Government:
Thomas Hobbes
English Philosopher (1588 – 1679)
Preferred Type of Government:
Monarchy. Consistent exercise or power to maintain order.

14. English Philosopher (1588 – 1679)
Thomas Hobbes
English Philosopher (1588 – 1679)
Wrote Leviathan - describing the state of nature where individuals were naturally free. As a result, everyone suffered from continued fear and danger of a violent death. Life of man was solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short.
No laws in the state of nature and no one to enforce laws. Only option was to create government.
People agreed among themselves to lay down natural rights of equality and freedom and give absolute power to a sovereign. Could be a person or group. Hobbes liked a king for consistent exercise of authority. People had no right to revolt against a king.

15. English Philosopher (1632 – 1704)
John Locke
English Philosopher (1632 – 1704)
Name of
Famous Writing:
Two Treatises
of Government

16. English Philosopher (1632 – 1704)
John Locke
English Philosopher (1632 – 1704)
Thoughts on the
State of Nature:
Agreed with Hobbes about need for social contract in brutish state of nature; disagreed with Hobbes and believed that everyone has right to life, liberty and property (natural rights) even in a state of nature

17. People give up SOME of their rights
John Locke
English Philosopher (1632 – 1704)
Thoughts on the
Social Contract:
People give up SOME of their rights
in exchange for protection from the government; but disagreed with Hobbes and believed that everyone has right to life, liberty and property (natural rights)

18. Preferred Type of Government:
John Locke
English Philosopher (1632 – 1704)
Preferred Type of Government:
Representative democracy.
Elected officials should
be men of property and business (the poor were unfit to govern).

19. English Philosopher (1632 – 1704)
John Locke
English Philosopher (1632 – 1704)
State of Nature - agreed with Hobbes, brutal. Required a social contract to assure peace. The a social Contract was an agreement between the people and the king
Natural right could not be taken away “inalienable” (impossible to surrender). People had the right (responsibility) to revolt if the king violate these natural rights. Property was the most important of the natural rights.
Used by Thomas Jefferson in writing the Declaration of Independence. Governments should “govern lightly.” Favored a representative form of government.

20. French Philosopher & Noble (1689 – 1755)
Charles Montesquieu
French Philosopher & Noble (1689 – 1755)
Name of
Famous Writing:
The Spirit of
the Laws

21. French Philosopher & Noble (1689 – 1755)
Charles Montesquieu
French Philosopher & Noble (1689 – 1755)
Thoughts on the
State of Nature:
Believed that people were so fearful in a state of nature that they would avoid violence and war

22. French Philosopher & Noble (1689 – 1755)
Charles Montesquieu
French Philosopher & Noble (1689 – 1755)
Thoughts on the
Social Contract:
No clear perspective on specific term social contract, but suggested the state of war led to human laws and governments

23. Preferred Type of Government:
Charles Montesquieu
French Philosopher & Noble (1689 – 1755)
Preferred Type of Government:
Separation of Powers.
A legislative, executive (king), and judicial branch made sure power does not exist in one person or institution.

24. French Philosopher & Noble (1689 – 1755)
Charles Montesquieu
French Philosopher & Noble (1689 – 1755)
Wrote The Spirit of the Laws
State of Nature - individuals were so fearful of violence and war that it caused the timid to associate with others and seek to live in a society. Then he “loses his sense of weakness, equality ceases, and then commences the state of war.”
No social contract, but the state of war lead humans to laws and government
Believed in separation of powers. Used in the United States Constitution.

25. The Social Contract Name of Famous Writing: Jean - Jacques Rousseau
French Philosopher (1712 – 1778)
Name of
Famous Writing:
The Social
Contract
“Man is born free and everywhere he is in chains”

26. Thoughts on the State of Nature:
Jean - Jacques Rousseau
French Philosopher (1712 – 1778)
Thoughts on the
State of Nature:
Man was naturally good, but
society corrupts (when with others); state of nature and war began when inequality began (powerful took property and fooled common man
into believe they were their rulers).

27. Thoughts on the Social Contract:
Jean - Jacques Rousseau
French Philosopher (1712 – 1778)
Thoughts on the
Social Contract:
Man is born free, but gives up some rights - never to a king but to the community.
People should use “general” will to make laws for the “common good.”

28. Preferred Type of Government: Direct democracy. Everyone should vote
Jean - Jacques Rousseau
French Philosopher (1712 – 1778)
Preferred Type
of Government:
Direct democracy.
Everyone should vote
on laws to demonstrate
their “general will” to
make laws for community.

29. Jean - Jacques Rousseau
French Philosopher (1712 – 1778)
People are good and corrupted by society. State of Nature - free, equal, peaceful, and happy. Ownership of property caused inequality, murder, and war.
Social Contract was not a willing agreement but the rich stole land and fooled common people into accepting them as rulers. “Man is born free and everywhere he is in chains.”
Believed in direct democracy, that the will of the people could not decided by elected representatives. People will hold all political power “We the people” taken from Rousseau.
Believed religion divided and weakened the state. Favored a “civil religion” that accepted God, but concentrated on the sacredness of the social contract.