John Locke & Jean-Jacques Rousseau

THE DECLARATION OF THE DECLARATION OF

INDEPENDENCE IS AN

EXPRESSION OF

NATURAL RIGHTS

PHILOSOPHY!

JEAN-JACQUES ROUSSEAU

�Most notable writing, “The Social Contract” (1762) advocated the principal that all men are equal.all men are equal.

� His “contract” is between members of society to agree to live together peacefully

� Politics should not be separated from morality

1712-1778 the goal of

government should be to secure freedom,

equality, and justice for all within the state,

regardless of the will of the majority

� Sovereignty comes from the general will of all of the people

� These ideas are closely tied in

JEAN-JACQUES ROUSSEAU

� These ideas are closely tied in the Declaration of Independence.

“Man was born free; and

everywhere he is in chains.”

JOHN LOCKE

� Locke Locke Locke Locke based ideas on what based ideas on what based ideas on what based ideas on what

he considered “natural he considered “natural he considered “natural he considered “natural

law” law” law” law” –––– but saw men as but saw men as but saw men as but saw men as

reasonable and moralreasonable and moralreasonable and moralreasonable and moralreasonable and moralreasonable and moralreasonable and moralreasonable and moral

� He advocated a social He advocated a social He advocated a social He advocated a social

contract contract contract contract –––– where the where the where the where the

people entered into an people entered into an people entered into an people entered into an

agreement with the agreement with the agreement with the agreement with the

governmentgovernmentgovernmentgovernment…………

Locke’s ideas of limited

government are found

in the Declaration of

Independence, and the

constitutions of Virginia

and the United States!

JOHN LOCKE

� The people give up The people give up The people give up The people give up

their state of nature to their state of nature to their state of nature to their state of nature to

obey the laws of the obey the laws of the obey the laws of the obey the laws of the

government.government.government.government.

� In exchange, the In exchange, the In exchange, the In exchange, the

� If the government does If the government does If the government does If the government does

not protect the people not protect the people not protect the people not protect the people ––––

it is the right of the it is the right of the it is the right of the it is the right of the

people to overthrow people to overthrow people to overthrow people to overthrow

that government and that government and that government and that government and � In exchange, the In exchange, the In exchange, the In exchange, the

government protects the government protects the government protects the government protects the

people people people people –––– and their and their and their and their

natural rightsnatural rightsnatural rightsnatural rights of life, of life, of life, of life,

liberty and property.liberty and property.liberty and property.liberty and property.

that government and that government and that government and that government and

replace it!replace it!replace it!replace it!

� People’s natural rights People’s natural rights People’s natural rights People’s natural rights

exist apart from the exist apart from the exist apart from the exist apart from the

governmentgovernmentgovernmentgovernment