The Philosophers

The Philosophers Over the centuries, there have been a number of ideas about both the purpose of government as well as how government should be set up and run The founding fathers examined the views of several of these philosophers and borrowed ideas when creating the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution

Baron de Montesquieu Argued that the form of society’s government corresponds to the social, economic, and geographic conditions of that society The best government for any nation is one tailored to the unique circumstances of that nation Strongly believed in “separation of powers” within a government Best way to secure liberty and prevent the government from becoming corrupt was divide the powers of government among different actors who would check each other “Were the executive power not to have a right of restraining the encroachments of the legislative body, the latter would become despotic; for as it might arrogate to itself what authority it pleased, it would soon destroy all other powers.”

Thomas Hobbes Based his theory on an imaginary “state of nature” Believed that a state of nature would give rise to a “war of every man against every man” in which individuals fear violent death at the hands of others Perpetual state of nature would make life “solitary, nasty, brutish, and short” Humans would naturally agree to a social contract and to an authoritarian state ruled largely be fear of returning to a state of nature Benevolent Dictator “During the time men live without a common power to keep them all in awe, they are in that conditions called war; and such a war, as if of every man, against every man.”

John Locke Like Hobbes, John Locke also based his theories on an imaginary “state of nature” Locke believed that people were free, equal, and rational, but in a “state of nature” people would seek personal advantage Locke also believed that all people have God given rights which he called “inalienable or natural rights” These God given rights include the right to life, liberty and property No man should ever be able to take away any of the natural rights from another “All mankind... being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty or possessions.”

John Locke and the Social Contract In order to protect the natural rights of people, Locke believed that humans would willingly enter into a “social contract” in which people would form a civil society and leave the “state of nature” The social contract is a contract between a government and the people Under the Social Contract, people give up some degree of their rights (by agreeing to follow certain rules and laws) in exchange for protection of their natural rights by the government Breaking the Social Contract Locke argued that if the government breaks the social contract (becomes oppressive or violent; is no longer serving the needs of the people), than the people have the right to abolish that government and form a new one If individuals break the social contract (break the rules / laws), than government has the right to punish those individuals (take away natural rights)

Rousseau “Men are born free, yet everywhere are in chains.” Rousseau also believed that a government attains its right to exist and to govern by “the consent of the governed.” (social contract) A government that rules without the consent of the governed does nothing to enforce equality and individual liberty Rousseau always aimed to figure out how to make society as democratic as possible Every man should have a say and be heard; difficult in large states! Believed in a “sovereign” which he describes metaphorically as an individual person with a unified will (the general will of all the people)