Jean –Jacques Rousseau  Wrote the Social Contract  Humans in their original state of nature were happy and possessed natural rights.  Natural innocence was corrupted by evils of society.  Government should have minimal control and only freely elected governments should impose the controls.  If a government fails in this purpose (to carry out the General Will), the people have the right to overthrow and replace it.

Baron de Montesquieu  His book On the Spirit of Laws was his most famous.  Saw despotism (tyrannical rule) as the danger for a government.  Believed government elected by the people was the best type of government.  Separation of powers would create stability in a government.  Branches should check the power of each other.

Thomas Hobbes  Wrote the Leviathan  Argued that people were naturally cruel, greedy and selfish.  Humans needed to be controlled or they would fight, rob and oppress each other.  Believed life in the state of nature without laws or control would be solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.  Humans enter into a social compact to surrender their freedom to a ruler and granted the ruler absolute power in order to enable the ruler to maintain law and order.  Since the ruler was not a party to the contract, the people have no right to complain about the ruler’s policies.  Hobbes supports Royal Absolutism

John Locke  He wrote Two Treatises of Government.  Turn to page 11 and read John Locke's’ Second Treaties of Government. Answer the questions on a separate sheet of paper and turn it in.

 The state arose out of a voluntary act of free people.  The state exists to serve the will of the people.  The people are free to give or withhold the power as they choose.  The theory promotes popular sovereignty, limited government and individual rights.

John Locke  Wrote Two Treatises of Government.  Argued people formed governments to protect their natural rights.  Natural rights: life, liberty, and property.  Best government= limited power and accepted by all citizens.  If government fails its obligations or violates its people’s natural rights, the people have the right to overthrow that government