Student Paper SP001-02
Spring 2000, Section I
Reviewer Comments
Upward Bound
Throughout the history of humanity, man has made an incredible adjustment from the beginning on to modern times. This change did not occur in a short period of time though. This change was part of thousands of years of existence. The time period of the 17th and 18th centuries was a period of great political growth for Europeans. These people would work to change their systems of government into one that would represent the majority of people who occupied and worked that territory more.
For many centuries, Europe was controlled by a monarch of some sort. Whether it was a king or an Emperor there was one person in charge of the country. The Magna Carta was probably one of the first documents that got the movement towards political freedom for everyone going. This document was signed in 1215 by King John of England (1). This document put him as well as all his future successors within the realm of the law. By limiting the powers of the rulers, the commoners would grow to believe that they too could have a voice in how things were run in their country.
France was one country in which political rearrangement took place. When King Louis ran out of money, he had to ask his nobles to raise the taxes. They agreed to collect more moncy to help finance the country, but they wanted political favors in return. They wanted to have political power. King Louis granted them political power in turn for some money to help run the nation. Soon, however, the commoners would revolt and cause the French Revolution in order to gain their own freedom from the oppression. Though this movement was violent causing the death of many Frenchmen, a new constitution was drafted which would set up a more democratic form of government.
Political philosophers were putting their ideas on paper and publishing them for the world to see. Such ideas were read by the commoners, who could read, and then brought to action in the drafting of new constitutions. Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau were some of the great minds put forth to make the new constitutions. These philosophers were well-respected and there thought and views of how government should be run are recognizable in the drafts of constitutions of different countries.
The ideas of Thomas Hobbes were that all men were created equal (2). This was unheard of in the times before. Before this idea it was well known that the King was superior to all. Nobles and Royalty felt that they were superior to the commoners due to divine intervention. This idea, however, made its way through to the commoners who believed Hobbes was right. This idea of equality among commoners and nobility alike encouraged the lower class individuals to fight for what they believed in, and to make themselves equal to all others in their country.
John Locke was another political philosopher whose ideas were used in the construction of new constitutions. Locke gave us the theory of natural laws and natural rights. (3). Locke expressed ideas about the separation of church and state. Henry VII broke away from the Catholic Church when he was denied an annulment. He then decided that the official National religion of England would be Protestant and he (Henry VII) would head up the church himself. His proceeding heirs would also be able to head up the Church of England as well. The future Kings of England would also be Protestants as well. People who lived in England and were Catholic did not have the same freedoms as those who were Protestant. To make things fair for everyone there could not be oppression due to the religion that one practiced. In England now, these things can be found in modern day constitutions.
Jean Jacques Rousseau was another philosopher who examined the ways of the laws he lived in. He too thought that they could use some improvement. Rousseau found the world to corrupt and unjust and was dominated by the rich and powerful who used the law and land for their own interests rather than the interests of those that they were in power over. Rousseau felt that the ideal state of government should be a democracy. (4) Looking back on this idea one would probably agree, however the idea of a government for the people rather than for the nobles and royals would probably not be to favorable amongst the members of the upper class. Rousseau dove into the ideas of how man thinks. Man, in view of Rousseau, would do what he had to do for his own safety. There would always be manifest destiny, but whether you defend it with your life or your death is what the main concern of his. What protections did man have against someone that was more powerful than he. At that time there wear not any protections. If a man didn't defend what he had, then he lost it and possibly his life as well. There were no security rights to man and Rousseau felt that there should be some rights put into power for the protection of all people. Protections against such seizure of property would be worked upon in future constitutional drafts.
As you see during the 17th and 18th centuries there was political growth. It was more than just growth; it was more like a political revolution. The Standard way of thinking that had gone on for centuries was now being shaken apart by new revolutionary thinking coming from the minds of Hobbes Locke and Rousseau. Some may see this radical political change as a bad thing, but I believe it worked out for the best for the people of these European countries. These minds combined brought political power into the public view and into the hands of the commoners of the land. Kings and Queens may still exist in Europe, but the traditional form of government in those countries would never be the same.
Source Information
1.) www.nara.ov/exhall/charters/magnacarta/main.html
2.) socserv2.socsoimcmaster.ca/~econ/u~cml3II3/hobbes/elelaw