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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). All men are evil and require authority. -
John 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. If a government fails to do so, citizens have a right to overthrow it." (Black and Beck 551) The government works for the people and therefore must listen to the people or be replaced. -
Mary Astell
"Astell criticized the unequal relationship between men and women in marriage." (Black & Beck 555). -
Voltaire
"Fought for tolerance, reason, freedom of religious belief, and freedom of speech." (Black and Beck 553). Freedoms are guaranteed to each person and should not be directed by the government. -
Baron de Montesquieu
”Each branch of government would serve as a check on
the other two." Executive, legislative and judicial branches each serve as a check of the other branches. -
Jean Jacques Rousseau
"Rousseau argued that civilization corrupted people’s natural goodness."(Black and Beck 554). People are born free but as they enter society they are forced to alter their freedoms to fit it. -
Cesare Bonesana Beccaria
"Beccaria believed that laws existed to preserve social order, not to avenge crimes." (Black and Beck 554). The punishment should be on an equal level to the crime. -
Mary Wollstonecraft
"Wollstonecraft argued that women, like men, need
education to become virtuous and useful. Even if they are to be
mothers, education will make them better mothers."(Black and Beck 555) Women deserve equal education and a voice in politics.
