Origins of Democracy

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Origins of Democracy

• Enlightenment Thinkers

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Copy down these notes in your notebookEnlighten
ment

• 18th century European movement in which thinkers
  (intellectuals) attempted to apply the principles
  of reason and scientific method to all aspects of
  society

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Create a chart in your notebook that looks like
this
Enlightenment Thinkers Book Written Meaning of quote in your own words Importance of the quote Connections to Today
Thomas Hobbes
John Locke
Montesquieu
Rousseau
Voltaire
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Thomas Hobbes

• Wrote a book called Leviathan in 1651

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Hobbes Quotation

• Quote from Leviathan
• The condition of man in the state of nature
  is a condition of war of everyone against
  everyone.

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Hobbes Main Ideas

• People are selfish and greedy
• Social Contract-To avoid chaos, people give up
  freedom to a government that will ensure order
• The government must be strong an able to put down
  rebellion

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Hobbes Connections Today

• His ideas are used to justify absolute power
• Many people today think Hobbes ideas are a
  bleak, but true view of how people and
  governments behave

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John Locke

• Wrote Two Treatises on Government in 1690

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John Locke Quotation

• Quote from Two Treatises on Government
• Men being by nature all free, equal, and
  independent, no one can be put out of this estate
  and subjected to the political power of another
  without his own consent.

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Lockes Main Ideas

• Natural rights-right to life, liberty, and
  property. (Every person has them)
• Rulers have a responsibility to protect those
  rights
• People have the right to change a government that
  fails to protect those rights

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Lockes Connection Today

• Lockes ideas influenced revolutions around the
  world and the authors of the US Declaration of
  Independence
• Later, people extended his ideas to include
  equality for women and others

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Baron de Montesquieu

• Wrote The Spirit of the Laws in 1748

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Montesquieu Quotation

• In order to have liberty, it is necessary that
  government be set up so that one man need not be
  afraid of another.

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Montesquieus Main Ideas

• The powers of government should be separated into
  3 parts
• Executive
• Legislative
• Judicial
• Prevent any one group from gaining too much power

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Montesquieu-Connections Today

• US has three branches of government and checks
  and balances (limit on power)

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Jean-Jacques Rousseau

• Wrote a book called
• The Social Contract

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Rousseau Quotation

• Only the general will can direct the energies of
  the state in a manner appropriate to the end for
  which it was founded, i.e., the common good.

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Rousseau Main Ideas

• People are basically good, but become corrupted
  by society.
• In an ideal society, people would make the laws
  and would obey them willingly.
• Good of community should be put above individual

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Rousseau Connections Today

• Rousseau is considered a champion of democracy
  because of his ideas that political authority
  lies with the people
• Some dictators use his ideas about general will
  to justify their programs

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Voltaire

• My trade is to say what I think

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Voltaire

• Wrote 200 books, 2000 pamphlets
• Exposed abuses-corrupt officials, slave trade,
  religious prejudice, freedom of speech
• Exiled (kicked out of France) for his ideas

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Connection to today

• First amendment in the US Bill of Rights
  Freedom of speech
• Freedom of religion

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Class Reflection

• On the back of your chart
• Explain in one paragraph (5 sentences) which
  Enlightenment Thinker you agree with the most.
  What do you agree with? Why?