Meet ~ Thomas Hobbes

Another "Enlightenment Thinker" I would like to introduce you to is
Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679).

Some information regarding his ideas about government:

-Humans are driven by fear of death and the desire for power.
-To keep the impulses in check, authority was ceded to a sovereign.
-The absolute power of the sovereign was necessary to keep society together.

Some information about how his ideas about government influenced American government:

-A diverse group of representatives would prevent a sovereign from being cruel and unfair.
-To offset the growing influence of business, a representative could speak in government on behalf of the people.


I will let the students of the following history class explain what they have learned about Thomas Hobbes in their presentation of: Interviews with Dead People....