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Thomas Hobbes
"Without governments to keep order, Hobbes said, there would be 'war of every man against every man.' In this state of nature, as
Hobbes called it, life would be 'solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.'" (Black and Beck 551). Thomas Hobbes is saying with out a system or structure in the society, life would be death in every turn you take. Some men are evil, someone has to take care of them, that's the government, not us. -
John Locke
"According to Locke, all people are born free and equal, with three natural rights— life, liberty, and property. The purpose of government, said Locke, is to protect these rights" (Black and Beck 551). John Locke states, a government that fails to protect these three natural rights, the people have the right to overthrow the one in charge. For an example, his book called "Two Treatises on Government," gave reasons why James II should be overthrown. -
Mary Astell
"In later writings, she used Enlightenment arguments about government to criticize the unequal relationship between men and women in marriage" (Black and Beck 555). She is a English writer, she wrote a book called, "A Serious Proposal to the Ladies," this book addressed the problems women had with education. She also wrote, if all men are born free, why are women born as slaves? She fought for what was right. -
Voltaire
"Although he made powerful enemies, Voltaire never stopped fighting for tolerance, reason, freedom of religious belief, and freedom of speech. He used his quill pen as if it were a deadly weapon in a thinker’s war against humanity’s worst enemies—intolerance, prejudice, and superstition" (Black and Beck 553). Voltaire fought for the religious freedom. He also says that government should be separate from the religion. He wanted people to allow any form of religion into a society. -
Montesquieu
"Montesquieu proposed that separation of powers would keep any
individual or group from gaining total control of the government. 'Power,' he wrote, 'should be a check to power.' Each branch of government would serve as a check on the other two" (Black and Beck 553). Montesquieu says there should be a separation in powers. The Executive, Legislative, and the Judicial. This is the US's set-up of government. This proves that Montesquieu's ideas were correct and beneficial. -
Rousseau
"Rousseau believed that the only good government was one that was freely formed by the people and guided by the 'general will' of society—a direct democracy. Under such a government, people agree to give up some of their freedom in favor of the common good" (Black and Beck 554). The government and the people have a contract called the social contract. This contract says that if the government does protect the people's rights, the people have the right to back out of this social contract. -
Beccaria
"Beccaria railed against common abuses of justice. They included torturing of witnesses and suspects, irregular proceedings in trials, and punishments that were arbitrary or cruel" (Black and Beck 554). He says a person that has been accused of a crime should receive a trial. Beccaria also states that the punishment of committing a crime should be based on how cruel or bad the crime was. -
Mary Wollstonecraft
"Wollstonecraft also believed that women not only should be able to be nurses but also should be able to become doctors. She also argued for women’s right to participate in politics" (Black and Beck 555). She disagreed with Rousseau about about women's education being secondary to men. She argued that women need education just as men get to become "virtuous and useful." She also argues the rights women have in politics.
