Enlightenment:A new way of thinking!!!

King James IThe Absolute Monarch

King James I - Stuart FamilyKing of England from 1603–1625Proclaimed the Divine Right of Kings TheoryKings are Chosen by GodBorn with PowerKings are only accountable to God, not to any

person.Subjects who argue with the King are

committing blasphemy against God.Implications?

Social Contract Theorists

Thomas HobbesJohn Locke

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Social Contract TheoristsEmerged during

the period of Enlightenment.

As other scientists were questioning math and science, some theorists were questioning assumptions about government.

What is a social

contract?An agreement among

peopledefining the rights and

duties of individuals with each

other and with the government.

Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) Hobbes challenged

Divine Right TheoryDid not challenge

Monarchy - Any government is better than no government.

Why? Must examine the State of Nature: Life without institutions, a primitive state before governments.

Hobbes and the State of NatureWrote the LeviathanPessimistic - Man in

the state of nature is essentially equal and at “war”

Without government, life would be “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”

A constant struggle to survive against the evil of others

Hobbes and the Social Contract Out of fear, people want to be ruled. People enter into a social contract with the

government. People give up rights and liberties in order

to control society and to safeguard property.

Individual obedience is necessary in order to stop the greater evil of an endless state of war.

John LockeEnglish1632-1704An Essay

Concerning Human Understanding

Second Treatiseof Civil Government

Locke and the State of Nature State of perfect freedom and equality no king

has the power to void those rights All human beings in their natural state were

equal and free to pursue life, health, liberty and possessions (inalienable rights).

In this state, everyone is the judge and jury. Creates problems – Gov’t remedies these

problems. Governments allow man to pursue his goals

more efficiently.

Lockeand the Social ContractMen enter into a social contract with the

government to preserve life, liberty and property and to assure justice.

From this state of nature people would not choose an absolute monarchy, they choose a society governed by standing laws, with power distributed among different groups.

If the government acts improperly it breaks the contract with the people. Revolution in some circumstances is not only a right, it is an obligation.

Review the Views on the Social ContractHobbes: the social contract restricts

conflict in the state of nature by surrendering power and instituting justice.

Locke: the social contract carries man from the state of nature to be governed in order to preserve liberties and property rights.

Now…Rousseau: the social contract limits the

power of the state and brings citizens closer to the state of nature.

Jean Jacques RousseauSwiss - French1712-1778On The Social Contract,

1762

Rousseau and the State of Nature“Man is born free, but everywhere

he is in chains.” (Thesis)Natural State is freedom, but

people in modern states are not free. Why?

The only natural society is the family.

Man in the state of nature may have been solitary, but he was healthy, happy, good, free and equal.

Problems begin when people form societies.

Original “tribal” societies were alright, but the introduction of property created inequality and jealousy.

Cannot return to the natural state so we form governments to restore some of our freedoms.

Rousseau and the Social Contract

The sovereign exists to safeguard the citizens, and the social contract is an agreement among the people.

People renounce their natural rights

Rights are redefined and individuals gain civil rights as citizens of the community.

People give up their personal will for the general will.

Government is only legitimate through agreement and people must periodically revisit the laws, and renew their consent.

Ideal state is small enough to allow the citizens to know one another.

The state has legitimate power only if it obeys the general will.

Montesquieu’s ideas of

Separation of Powers

and Checks and Balances

influenced the framers of the Constitution.

Montesquieu“On The Spirit of Laws” 1748Admired British systemSeparation of governmental

powers into three divisions the executive, who carries out

(executes) the laws the legislative, who makes the laws, and the judicial, who interprets the

laws.Tyranny can be avoided by

dividing political power among different groups. (Separation of Powers)

Tyranny can be avoided by keeping watch on the other branches of government (checks and balances)

These would prevent anyone from gaining a monopoly of power.

ReviewSummarize the

social contract.List the social

contract philosophers.

What is the Enlightenment?What did it change?Where can these

ideas be traced?

What is the Divine Right of Kings Theory?

List other Enlightenment philosophers and their contributions.

Describe the two main ideas contributed by Montesquieu.