Enlightenment thinkers

Hobbes

English materialist and political philosopher who advocated absolute sovereignty as the only kind of government that could resolve problems caused by the selfishness of human beings (1588-1679) bc people are selfish and bad

Locke

Life, Liberty, and Property

Beccaria

(1738-1794) wrote 'On Crimes and Punishments', wanted laws to conform to rational laws of nature

Voltaire

(1694-1778) French philosopher. He believed that freedom of speech was the best weapon against bad government. He also spoke out against the corruption of the French government, and the intolerance of the Catholic Church, free speech + religion

Montesquieu

French political philosopher who advocated the separation of executive and legislative and judicial powers (1689-1755)

Rosseu

social contract