Enlightenment Thinkers- How to remember them

Hobbes

men were naturally wicked, so need to give power to an all-powerful ruler (monarch) to gain law and order

(remember: Calvan and Hobbes always created a ruckus)

Locke

people can learn from mistakes and improve

self gov't

all born free

3 natural rights: life, liberty, property

gov't protect these rights or citizens have the right to overthrow

power comes from the people=foundation of gov't

(remember: citizens have their rights "locke"d in or else they have the right to overthrow)

Montesquieu

3 branches of gov't

(remember: 3 syllables in Montesquieu, 3 branches)

Voltaire

tolerance, freedom, freedom of religious belief, speech

against prejudice, superstition, intolerance

(remember: VoltAIRe like "air" and gives much freedom and flowiness)

Rousseau

individual freedom

civilization corrupted people's natural goodness

good gov't: direct democracy: guided by the "general will"

give up freedom for a common good

agreement between the free to create a society and gov't

(remember: he was "sooo" as in RouSSEAU into the common good, that people were able to give up their freedom)