Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Baron Montesquieu were two of the key thinkers during the enlightenment era. They have had a tremendous impact on history and they are responsible for our government’s structure today.
Baron Montesquieu was a French aristocrat who published The Spirit of Laws. He analyzed the many different political systems of his time and then conclude that there isn’t an on size fits all. That the political structure varied so much due to the size, climate, economy and the traditions of the state. Democracy’s he stated worked best for small homogenous populations and that monarchies were best for large diverse empires. Baron Montesquieu was also the reason for the separation of powers. He believed that a system that mixed each form of government monarchy, aristocracy and democracy. He believed that this mix could prevent the absolutism that had occurred in his home country of France. In 1748, the Baron de Montesquieu suggested that the separation of the executive, legislative, and judicial …show more content…
He believed in the “state of nature” and that people were honest, unselfish and free. His most famous piece of work was The Social Contract which he said “All men are born free, but everywhere they are in chains” this is stating that we are born free but society enslaves us we have to give up personal freedoms for the betterment of our society. He pushed for a society that was based on harmony, equality and virtue. He believed that the government’s job was to respond to the desires of the majority and embrace those of the needs of all. President Jefferson made a reference to Jean-Jacques Rousseau stating that the King the King of England no longer has the consent of the colonists, which he rules and therefore his power over them is nullified. This is not the last impact Rousseau had on the United States he also influenced our democratic
Baron Montesquieu was a French aristocrat who published The Spirit of Laws. He analyzed the many different political systems of his time and then conclude that there isn’t an on size fits all. That the political structure varied so much due to the size, climate, economy and the traditions of the state. Democracy’s he stated worked best for small homogenous populations and that monarchies were best for large diverse empires. Baron Montesquieu was also the reason for the separation of powers. He believed that a system that mixed each form of government monarchy, aristocracy and democracy. He believed that this mix could prevent the absolutism that had occurred in his home country of France. In 1748, the Baron de Montesquieu suggested that the separation of the executive, legislative, and judicial …show more content…
He believed in the “state of nature” and that people were honest, unselfish and free. His most famous piece of work was The Social Contract which he said “All men are born free, but everywhere they are in chains” this is stating that we are born free but society enslaves us we have to give up personal freedoms for the betterment of our society. He pushed for a society that was based on harmony, equality and virtue. He believed that the government’s job was to respond to the desires of the majority and embrace those of the needs of all. President Jefferson made a reference to Jean-Jacques Rousseau stating that the King the King of England no longer has the consent of the colonists, which he rules and therefore his power over them is nullified. This is not the last impact Rousseau had on the United States he also influenced our democratic