In Europe during the 1500s and 1600s, philosophers thought in a medieval type of way. Meaning that all they thought about was God and the role of religion. Because of discoveries made in these years, many European philosophers like John Locke, Baron Montesquieu, Jean Jacques Rousseau, and Voltaire started thinking in a more modern way. Modern meaning how our natural rights are affected by government and also how human life can become affected.
During this time of changed thinking in Europe, one philosopher, John Locke, wrote a book called Second Treatise on Government. In his book, Locke states that political power is the natural power of each man that they have given up into the hands of a society. According to Locke, the reason for political power is the right to make laws for the protection and regulation of property (Doc 1). He also states how political power cannot be absolute, arbitrary power over peoples lives and fortunes. John Lockes ideas of government were a departure from previous thinking because John Locke said that the government was there to fulfill the needs of its people, and if it had failed to do so, then it would be replaced with a new one who can fulfil the needs of the people. Also in past governments, many people just went with the flow of Europe being an absolute power of government because many were too frightened to say anything, meaning that they didn't want to be beheaded or banned from the country. Many people liked the way of how John Locke thought how government should be, and wanted a change on how they were being treated. In document 2, Montesquieu wrote a book, The Spirit of Laws, which states his opinion on how government should be divided. Montesquieu believes that there should be a separation of powers within the government so that there would be three different forms. These forms were known as the legislative, the executive, and the judicial.