One of the opponents of liberal thinking, the philosopher Thomas Hobbes, contributed significantly to liberal theory, although he favored strong and even unrestrained government. ... An influential early liberal was the English philosopher John Locke. ... In France, Locke's philosophy was taken over by the leaders of the French Enlightenment, notably by the author and philosopher Voltaire. ... For Voltaire as for the French philosopher and dramatist Denis Diderot, the state is a machine for the creation of happiness and a positive instrument designed to check a strong nobility and a stron...

• Word Count: 788
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: Graduate