Compare And Contrast The Constitution By Locke Montesquieu And Rousseau

The U.S. Constitution reflected the ideas of Enlightenment thinkers, such as Locke, Montesquieu, and Rousseau. It viewed government in terms of a social contract and created an elected government instead of a hereditary monarchy. The Constitution creates a representative government that limits government powers, coming from Locke’s belief that power comes from the people. Additionally, the Constitution allowed people to vote for the President and Congress was influenced by Rousseau’s belief in direct democracy. The Constitution also set up the federal system to divide power between the national and state government. Checks and balances includes the three branches of government to make sure nobody takes up all the power of the government. This