1. LOCKE AND
ROUSSEAU
Two Differing Enlightenment Philosophies…

2. • One of the greatest
Enlightenment era
philosophers
• Believed in a concept
called the “state of
nature” or “natural law.”
• Promoted the idea of the
social contract
JOHN
LOCKE

3. • Another great
Enlightenment
philosopher
• French
• Writer
• Musician
JEAN-JACQUES
ROUSSEAU

4. BASIC BELIEFS
• Rousseau believed
society (culture or
those around you)
corrupted people and
so government must
save everyone.
• John Locke believed
that all people had
natural rights (rights
given by God)
• Absolute monarchists
didn’t believe citizens
had rights at all.

5. LOCKE’S VIEW ON THE
SOCIAL CONTRACT…
• Locke taught that the
social contract was
an agreement
between the people
and the government.
• Thus, government
was designed to
protect our
rights, not infringe
(or take away) our
rights.

6. • Locke supported the idea
that if government took
people’s rights, then people
had the right to create a
new one.
• In other
words, government is by
consent. People can
“divorce” their
government if there is a
problem.
WHAT IF
GOVERNMENT
DOESN’T DO
THIS?

7. • Believed that government
should create laws that
benefit the majority of the
people.
• This limits government in
that government must help
the majority.
• This concept is democracy.
ROUSSEAU
HOWEVER…

8. • Both men believed in a
limited government and
people having rights.
• Their works influenced
the idea of popularity
sovereignty, or the notion
that government gets it
powers from the people.
SIMILARITIES

9. HOW DID EARLY AMERICANS VIEW THESE GUYS?
Early Americans did NOT
support Jean-Jacques
Rousseau’s democratic
ideals. They worried about a
tyranny of the majority.
John Locke was a MAJOR
influence on American
government.