Enlightenment Thinkers

Hobbes

Strong government, people are naturally selfish and cant be trusted, wanted absolute monarchy

Locke

Self-government, people are born free and equal, purpose of government is to protect liberty/life/property

Voltaire

Individual freedoms such as freedom of speech, religion, and equality for all

Montesquieu

Separation of powers, checks and balances

Rousseau

Direct democracy, consent of people being governed

Beccaria

Right to a speedy trial, punishments equal to crime, death penalty should be abolished

Diderot

Created the worlds first Encyclopedia (Writings of Voltaire and Montesquieu), promoted spread of knowledge

Wollstonecraft

Women should be given same education and rights as men, “free and equal”