Question

Imagine you are preparing a speech on social contract theory for your government class. As part of your speech, you need to focus on the idea that people have the authority to overthrow a government that has become tyrannical. Which Enlightenment text would be good source material?

Answer 1

Thomas Hobbes's Leviathan. In it, Thomas Hobbes describes humanity and society in a totally materialistic way. For him, humans are all equal and individualistic, living in a competition for survival. The government have the role of representing the needs of social order and morals. Going from it, if the government ceases to arise from the people and stop being for the people, its main function not being present anymore, so it becomes the problem that everyone should attend to.

Answer 2

Locke's Second Treatise of Government