His emphasize on the significance of moral and intellectual independence lead to the importance of intuition, diversity, and originality in one’s personal life as well as in government. These aspects developed to be the characteristics of transcendentalism. Ralph Waldo Emerson initiated the transcendentalist movement pushing forward the former theories of Baron de Montesquieu, John Locke, and Jean- Jacques Rousseau and advocated the necessity for individuality among non-conformity through his works, “Self- Reliance”, Nature, and his essay “Politics”. To begin with Ralph Waldo Emerson stresses the importance of individualism in “ Self- Reliance” transforming it into one of the aspects of transcendentalism. Emerson utilizes some of John Locke’s theories and incorporates them into his own. During Locke’s prime, controversies arose over differences in religion causing great debate and upset. John Locke was the initial advocate for freedom of belief and toleration. He argued that the government had no other job but to “preserve the quiet and comfortable living of men in society” (Transcendentalism), but had not right intervene in personal identity or …show more content…
It's core characteristics of valuing nature, individuality, nonconformity, and democracy beyond “Self- Reliance”, Nature, or “Politics”. Instead the roots of transcendentalism can be found in the creators of the Enlightenment era and arguably the original founding fathers of the America’s blueprint. Ralph Waldo Emerson refined their thoughts, added his own ideas and created a movement that would inspire authors to come- the Transcendentalist Movement. A that movement is influenced by is works and established the importance of intuition, diversity, and originality in one’s personal life as well as in government. The importance of America's continuous development of new ideas and concepts can be traced back to the beginning of its creation and through every century since then. The transcendentalist movement initiated by Ralph Waldo Emerson and inspired by enlightenment philosophers John Locke, Jean- Jacques Rousseau and Baron de Montesquieu is not an exception; its characteristics and dedication to moral and intellectual independence, nature, democracy, individual and nonconformity are revolutionary and continue to leave the word in