The Growth of Democratic Tradition:

The Age of Enlightenment

Essential Questions

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• How did the political ideas of The Enlightenment influence the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States?

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• During the Enlightenment, or Age of Reason, intellectualsDuring the Enlightenment, or Age of Reason, intellectuals began to examine the standards by which rulers governed.

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• The principles of this time held that everything, including the government, was worth examination and scrutiny.

The Enlightenment

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• In this governmental contract both the ruler and the citizen had rightsIn this governmental contract both the ruler and the citizen had rights and responsibilities

• These new liberal ideas stated that individuals had natural rights and that government was an agreement or contract between the people and their ruler.

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• The people wanted a change from absolutism and the divine right of kings to constitutionalism.

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• Power needed to be separatedPower needed to be separated and balanced so that individuals or groups did not become corrupt through those powers.

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• Constitutionalism was the belief that the government contract should be written down, making clear what powers were given to whom.

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• The philosophers believed that the government "contract" and its supporting laws needed to reflect the "general will" of the people.

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• Laws should be agreed upon by both the ruler and those governed.

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• AssembliesAssemblies of citizens should be formed with real power to influence the government and judge whether rulers acted properly.

• Rulers and governments which abusedRulers and governments which abused their power and did not protect the rights of the citizens were corrupt and the people had a right to rebel and replace the ruler.

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• The ruler also had the right to expect that the citizens would respect the government and laws which were just.

• After the American Revolution and the French Revolution, more and more countries began to write constitutions which reflected these liberal ideas.

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• Political thinkers further examined how to determine if the laws or rules of government really reflected the "individual rights" of the citizens and the "general will" of the people.

• It became accepted that legislation and justice ought to reflect what was the best good for the most people.

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• Discussion and debate on exactly who was a citizen and had the right to take part in the new governments continued to grow.
• Discussions on slavery, women's rights, and discrimination continue today.

John Locke �1632-1704

Important Facts

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• Ideas used by Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence
• Believed all individuals had natural rights, including "life, liberty, and property”
• The state should protect individual rights
• Citizens should rebel against unjust governments
• Wrote Two Treatises of Government
• Believed in religious freedom
• Supported women's rights

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John Locke

John Locke is considered one of the most important fathers of our democratic tradition. His writings, including Two Treatises of Government, were widely read in both England and America. Thomas Jefferson used Locke's principles in the Declaration of Independence when he said men are "endowed when he said men are "endowed with certain inalienable when he said men are "endowed with certain inalienable rights, and that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

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Locke believed that a Social ContractLocke believed that a Social Contract exists between the government and the people. He states that governments are formed with the consent of citizens. Locke believed that powers in the government should be limited and the powers between parts of the government should be balanced. These checks and balances (later reflected in the U.S. Constitution) and true representation) and true representation in the legislature would maintain limited government and individual liberties.

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Locke said that the state exists to preserve the natural rights of its citizens. Therefore, he said that if a government fails in that task, citizens had the right to rebel against it. In some cases, it was the citizens duty to rebel. He also believed that no one should dictate another person's religion.

Baron de Montesquieu �1689-1755

Important Facts

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• Three-part government –

legislative, executive, and judicial

• Separation of governmental powers
• U.S. Constitution based on his suggested structure
• Wrote On the Spirit of Laws
• Believed in the rights of the individual
• Influenced the writing of constitutions in many countries, including the United States

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Baron de Montesquieu

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Montesquieu's book On the Spirit of Laws explained his ideas on how government would best work. He argued that the best government is one in which power was balanced explained his ideas on how government would best work. He argued that the best government is one in which power was balanced among three groups of officials. He thought England - which divided power between the king (who enforced explained his ideas on how government would best work. He argued that the best government is one in which power was balanced among three groups of officials. He thought England - which divided power between the king (who enforced laws), Parliament (which made laws), and the judges of the English courts (who interpreted laws) - was a good model of this.

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Montesquieu called the idea of dividing government power into three branches the "separation of powers." He thought it most important to create separate branches of government with equal but different powers. That way, the government would make sure that too much power was not held by one individual or group of individuals. He wrote, "When the [law making] and [law enforcement] powers are united in the same person... there can be no liberty.“

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According to Montesquieu, each branch of government could limit the power of the other two branches. There would be a systemAccording to Montesquieu, each branch of government could limit the power of the other two branches. There would be a system of 'checks and balances' between the groups. Therefore, no branch of the government could threaten the freedom of the people. His ideas about separation of powers became the basis for the United States Constitution.

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Jean Jacques Rousseau �1712-1788

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Important Facts

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• Believed politics and morality are not separate
• Considered an opponent of The Enlightenment’s emphasis on reason
• Believed people should rely more on instinct and emotion
• The state is created to preserve freedom
• Government is a contract between the ruler and citizens
• Wrote The Social Contract

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Jean Jacques Rousseau

Jean Jacques Rousseau’s classic book on political theory was called The Social Contract. The beginning statement, 'Man was born free, and he is everywhere in chains,' is very famous. This work looks at how men should behave in society.

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The social contract is what Rousseau calls the agreement between men and government that explains what responsibilities is what Rousseau calls the agreement between men and government that explains what responsibilities are required in the partnership. The social contract involves people recognizing a collective 'general will'. This general will is supposed to represent the common good or public interest.

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Rousseau believed that the purpose of government is to protect the freedom on the individual. He argued that politics and moralityRousseau believed that the purpose of government is to protect the freedom on the individual. He argued that politics and morality should not be separated. When a state stops acting in a moral fashion, it no longer has the right to control, make decisions, or exert authority over the individual.

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Rousseau believed that all citizens should participate in government and should be committed to the general good - even if it means acting against their private or personal interests.