Name Country Published Work and Date Main Ideas Influence on U.S.

John LockeJohn Locke

Natural Rights Natural Rights are those rights which we have as human beings. We have rights to Life, Liberty, and Property. All people have Natural Rights equally.

The State of Nature is unsatisfactory, so they agree to transfer some of their rights to a central government, while retaining others (Social Social ContractContract).

Governments are instituted by the Consent of the Governed. The purpose is to preserve the Natural Rights of Life, Liberty, and Property of the citizens, and to pursue the public good even where this may conflict with the rights of individuals.

The best government was one with limited powers that was accepted by all citizens. If the government fails to protect their Natural Rights, the people also have the right, or duty, to overthrow that government.

We hold these truths to be

We hold these truths to be

self-evident, that all men are

self-evident, that all men are

created equal, that they are

created equal, that they are

endowed by their Creator endowed by their Creator

with certain unalienable with certain unalienable

Rights, that among these are

Rights, that among these are

Life, Liberty and the pursuit

Life, Liberty and the pursuit

of Happiness.--That to secure

of Happiness.--That to secure

these rights, Governments

these rights, Governments

are instituted among Men, are instituted among Men,

deriving their just powers deriving their just powers

from the from the consent of the consent of the

governed,governed, --That whenever --That whenever

any Form of any Form of Government

Government

becomes destructive becomes destructive of these of these

ends, it is the ends, it is the Right of the

Right of the

People to alter or to abolish

People to alter or to abolish

itit, and to institute new , and to institute new

Government, laying its Government, laying its

foundation on such principles

foundation on such principles

and organizing its powers in

and organizing its powers in

such form, as to them shall

such form, as to them shall

seem most likely to effect seem most likely to effect

their Safety and Happiness.

their Safety and Happiness.

Thomas JeffersonThomas Jefferson

VoltaireVoltaire

““I may disagree with what you I may disagree with what you have said but I will defend to have said but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”

the death your right to say it.”Voltaire (Taken from Voltaire (Taken from Treatise on Treatise on ToleranceTolerance – 1763) – 1763)

“… “… I will go even further and say I will go even further and say that we ought to look upon all that we ought to look upon all

men as our brothers. What! Call men as our brothers. What! Call a Turk, a Jew, and a Siamese, my a Turk, a Jew, and a Siamese, my

brother? Yes of course; for are brother? Yes of course; for are we not all children of the same we not all children of the same father, and the creatures of the father, and the creatures of the

same God?”same God?”Voltaire (Taken from Voltaire (Taken from Treatise on Treatise on

ToleranceTolerance – 1763) – 1763)

Congress shall make

Congress shall make

no law respecting an

no law respecting an

establishment of

establishment of

religion, or prohibiting

religion, or prohibiting

the free exercise

the free exercise

thereof; or abridging

thereof; or abridging

the freedom of the freedom of

speech, or of the

speech, or of the

press; or the right of

press; or the right of

the people peaceably

the people peaceably

to assemble, and to

to assemble, and to

petition the petition the

Government for a

Government for a

redress of grievances.

redress of grievances.

US Bill of Rights US Bill of Rights

(James Madison?)(James Madison?)

We hold these truths to be

We hold these truths to be

self-evident, that all men are

self-evident, that all men are

created equal, that they are

created equal, that they are

endowed by their Creator

endowed by their Creator

with certain unalienable

with certain unalienable

Rights, that among these are

Rights, that among these are

Life, Liberty and the pursuit

Life, Liberty and the pursuit

of Happiness.--That to

of Happiness.--That to

secure these rights,

secure these rights,

Governments are instituted

Governments are instituted

among Men, deriving their

among Men, deriving their

just powers from the

just powers from the consent consent

of the governed,

of the governed, --That --That

whenever any Form of

whenever any Form of

Government becomes

Government becomes

destructive

destructive of these ends, it

of these ends, it

is the is the Right of the People to

Right of the People to

alter or to abolish it

alter or to abolish it, and to , and to

institute new Government,

institute new Government,

laying its foundation on such

laying its foundation on such

principles and organizing its

principles and organizing its

powers in such form, as to

powers in such form, as to

them shall seem most likely

them shall seem most likely

to effect their Safety and

to effect their Safety and

Happiness. Happiness. Declaration of Independence

Declaration of Independence

A.K.A.: The separation of powers among the 3 branches of government—executive, judicial, and legislative. The provide checks & balances on each others’ powers.

1) Supply & Demand will dictate what is produced, when it's produced, how it's produced, and at what cost

2) Competition will dictate the quality of what is produced, and control pricing, in order to increase sales