Enlightenment Thinkers

John Locke

Two Treatises of Government

-consent of the governed

-natural rights

-self rule

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Social Contract

-power to govern is in the hands of the people

-people agree to willingly give up some of their power

-government agrees to protect the people’s natural rights

Baron De Montesquieu

Republicanism/Checks and Balances

-three branches of power

Voltaire

-freedom of religion

-freedom of expression

-seperation of church and state