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Compare And Contrast John Locke And Harrington

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PHILOSOPHERS THAT INFLUENCED THE U.S. CONSTITUTION
The founding fathers drew from many philosophers as they were trying to write the United States Constitution. Some of these philosophiser includes John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, and James Harrington. John Locke established a theory that where personal liberty could coexist in political order. Thomas Hobbes believed a society is a population beneath a sovereign authority, to all individuals their natural rights was a sacred and need of protection. Lastly, James Harrington believed of an aristocracy of limited, balanced powers. Without these theories the U.S. Constitution wouldn’t be the same as it is today in the modern world.
John Locke was a political theorist and a English Philosopher . His …show more content…
Harrington influenced the constitution by his theory of government based on law rather than the power of every citizen. Harrington suggested constitutional power should be divided by all citizens of property, with laws restricted this expanse of every independent person’s fortune. ("James Harrington Encyclopedia.") The nation’s property were then to be approved by the population, and enact by voting in a magistracy. Public officials would distribute limited terms in order to encourage full cooperation in government by citizens of the federation. The “Model Of The CommonWealth” contemplated an array of system by which the new regime was to be given control. Harrington recommended a community in which everyone’s property would have a divide, property was to be equivalent by laws which constrained the duration of each individual’s wealth. ("James Harrington | Biography - British Philosopher.") Harrington believed that the constitution should lay rules to who was able to do what in the government. The Legislative branch had the responsibility of creating laws, along with the people, but the House Of Representatives and the Senate would have to agree on any bill or changes. Harrington’s perception are said to have been partially accountable for such U.S. political improvements as recorded constitutions, bicameral legislatures, and the indirect election of the …show more content…
Constitution because of the influences it had on America. Locke’s, Hobbes’ and Harrington’s concepts are still used today, such as personal liberty, natural rights, need of protection and aristocracy of limited, balanced powers. When the founding fathers came together and created the constitution, they thought of philosophers like Hobbes, Locke and Harrington and concepts they created that have existed for years. These ideas were taken and incorporated to create a well-balanced government of democratic ideals. Without their philosophical ideas America’s government would be completely different and our rights would not be the same as it is today. The objective of creating a constitution with a Bill of Rights was to try to avoid the abuse of power, as well as a controlling government- and especially away from a tyrannical one. Our founding fathers wanted the protection of the citizens to last so that they may keep their liberty and their natural rights to equality and property. Each and one of these philosophers had a great influence on the esteemed and distinguished United States

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