Who Is Thomas Hobbes Ideal Government During The Enlightenment

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During the Enlightenment, key philosophers contributed different opinions about government and society. Thomas Hobbes wrote a book called Leviathan, in which he expressed his ideas. Following his experiences with the English Civil War, Hobbes came to the conclusion that all humans were naturally selfish and wicked. He believed that it was necessary for people to hand over their rights to a strong leader in exchange for law and order, in an agreement he called a social contract. Since he believed humans are inherently selfish, it was necessary for a ruler with total power to keep citizens under control. To him, the most successful government would be one with the power of a leviathan (sea monster), or an absolute monarchy, because it would have …show more content…
He believed that humans are reasonable and improvable, and thus capable of governing their own affairs for the benefit of society. He was a critic of absolute monarchies and favored the idea of self-government. In his opinion, opinion, all people are born free and equal, and all people have the natural right to life, liberty, and property. The purpose of his ideal government was to protect those rights, and if a government failed to do so, the citizens have a right to overthrow their government. He also believed that the power of a government comes from the consent of its people, and not from God. French writer Baron de Montesquieu devoted himself to the study of politically liberty. He believed that Britain was the most politically balanced country of his day. The British king and his ministers had power, but below him, Parliament and the judges of the English courts also held power. He referred to the division of power among different branches as the separation of powers. While Montesquieu oversimplified the British system, the idea became part of his most well-known book, On the Spirit of Laws. He introduced the idea of checks on a government's power, or checks and
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