Individual Key idea Major Writings and Impact on the modern world

(2-3) Legacy
John Locke John Locke John Locke‘s most famous He laid the foundation of modern
believed that a works are An Essay philosophical empiricism and
government Concerning Human political liberalism, classical
should be Understanding (1689) and liberalism in particular. He was also
beholden to the Two Treatises of the inspirer of the Consitution of the
people rather than Government (1690). John United States.
vice-versa. He Locke‘s theories form the Locke‘s ideas of natural law, social
also believed that foundation of principal contract, religious toleration, and
a person has the American documents such the right to revolution influenced
right to govern as the Declaration of modern democratic societies.
themselves; their Independence, The
essence is their Constitution, and The Bill of
property, nothing Rights.
and nobody can
take that away.
Thomas Hobbes Thomas believed Thomas Hobbes's major Hobbe‘s work on anarchy has been
that humans writings were Leviathan hailed as the very foundation of
should live in (1651), „De Cive“ (1642), modern realist theory in
peace under a „De Corpore“ (1655), etc. international relations. Despite the
sovereign power Thomas Hobbes's social criticism of Thomas Hobbes's
to avoid conflict contract theory, especially pessimism, political philosophers
within the 'state of the idea of the state of still rely on Hobbes’s insight to
nature'. He also nature, is a cornerstone of interpret trends in governance and
believed that Western philosophy. international affairs.
individuals should Hobbe‘s ideas influenced
willingly give up later Enlightenment
their freedom in thinkers.
exchange for
protection and
order.
Montesquieu Montesquieu The major writings of Montesquieu‘s ideas helped to
believed that the Montesquieu were The inspire the emphasis on individual
best form of Spirit of Laws (1748) and rights that was seen in the
government was The Persian Letters (1721). Declaration of Independence of
one in which the The forging of young liberal 1776, the Declaration of the Rights
legislative, democracies was evidently of Man and Citizen of 1789, and the
executive, and heavily influenced by U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1789.
judicial powers Montesquieu and his
were separate and contemporaries.
kept each other in Montesquieu’s separation of
check to prevent powers was an instrumental
any branch from ideology to inject into these
becoming too early republics,
powerful. He
believed that
uniting these
powers, as in the
Montesquieu monarchy of
Louis XIV, would
lead to despotism.
Jean Jacques Jean Jacques The major writings of Jean Rousseau's notions about natural
Rousseau Rousseau Jacques Rousseau were A human kindness and the emotional
believed that man Discourage of the Origins foundations of ethics still furnish
was born of Inequality (1755) and the core of today's moral outlook,
basically good, The Social Contract (1762). and much of modern political
and the idea that Rousseau left behind a philosophy likewise builds on the
society is what legacy in foundation of Rousseau's On Social
corrupts mankind. the education field: Contract (1762).
He also believed he argued for child-centered
in a social approaches being the best
contract that practice in Emile: or, On
maintained the Education.
relationship and
balance between a
government and
its citizens. He
believed that
private property
was evil and it
was the cause of
conflicts.
Voltaire Voltaire believed Voltaire‘s most famous Voltaire's beliefs on freedom and
above all in the works were the fictitious reason are what ultimately led to the
efficacy of reason Lettre philosophiques French Revolution. Voltaire opened
He believed social (1734) and the satirical a broad spectrum of beliefs and
progress could be novel Candide (1759). practices in our world today. In our
achieved through Voltaire's legacy in the constitution, we are granted the
reason and that no wider world is ubiquitous. freedom of speech, the freedom of
authority - His name has become a religion, the freedom of the press,
religious or byword for tolerance, etcetera.
political or justice, and the power of
otherwise - should reason whenever fanaticism,
be immune to tyranny, and superstition
challenge by rear their ugly heads.
reason.
Denis Diderot Diderot believed Denis Diderot‘s major Denis Diderot is credited with
that the moral writings were the scabrous creating the world's first
improvement of Les bijoux indiscrets (1748), encyclopedia, which would become
humanity would and Jacques le fataliste a precursor to modern iterations of
directly result in (1796). Diderot's major the important knowledge source.
the progress of work is l'Encyclopédie,
civilization. He which still is a monument of
also explored the the French Enlightenment,
connection representing the standard of
between biology scholarly knowledge of its
and human time and the spirit of
culture and rationalism that pervaded
between culture 18th-century thought.
Denis Diderot and morality.
Mary Wollstonecraft Mary Mary wrote A Vindication of Mary‘s Vindication of the Rights of
Wollstonecraft the Rights of Woman (1792). Woman secured her reputation
believed that Wollstonecraft left a legacy today as a groundbreaking work in
society was that impacts women to this the tradition of women's rights.
wasting its assets day as a feminist fight for The life and work of Wollstonecraft
because it kept equal rights. continue to influence the thoughts
women in the role and work of modern scholars and
of 'convenient writers.
domestic slaves',
and denied them
economic
independence.