The Enlightenment's Influence on Today's Government

Enlightenment’s Influence on Today’s Government
The Enlightenment era is considered one of the most important “turning points” in history. During this time, many enlightenment thinkers brought forth new ideas that still influence the modern world today. Political systems of various countries all over the world adopted the numerous concepts that were presented at this time period. Some of the providers of these concepts were Machiavelli, John Locke, and Montesquieu. They wrote many things expressing their beliefs, which started the basis of many governments later on. Therefore, the Enlightenment had a great impact on the United State politics and government, which lasted until this day.
One of the person lived during the Enlightenment era was Machiavelli. He expressed what he believed in “The Prince” (Document 1). He believed that “The Price,” or the ruler, must control with fear and the military. The ruler must do anything necessary to control their people. This concept leads to modern day dictatorships. For example, South Korea is one of the countries that is currently under the rule of a dictator. In the same way, Machiavelli said, Kim Jong-Il and Kim Jong-Un ruled and still rule their people by the dread of punishment and under the power of the military because all men are “Ungrateful, fickle, and deceitful” (Document 5). In conclusion, Machiavelli gave the idea of dictatorships, which influenced some governments in the world today.
Secondly, John Locke discussed about how the government was created by the people to protect the people’s rights. His main focus was the protection of the people’s natural rights, which later became what the United States of America based their Declaration of Independence on. For instance, in his writing “Two Treatises on Government”, he said that everyone has their own natural rights; life, liberty, and property (Document 5). Locke’s concept was different from the actual form of government, a monarchy, which is rule by a king or queen. Therefore, Locke’s idea of protecting the people’s natural rights would then later on influence many other countries.
Montesquieu was a famous social commentator and a political thinker lived during the age of enlightenment. He had a great influence on the politics and government of the United State. He gave the Constitution the ideal of check and balance and separation power. For example, in “The Spirit of the Laws” he wrote “Although the forms of state- monarchy, aristocracy, and democracy- were united in English government, the powers of government were separated from one another” (Document 6). Even though each of the branch have their own power, however all their power are the same and equal, no branch is more powerful than the other. Therefore, Montesquieu gave the Constitution the idea separations of power, so each branch have to check over the one another to keep the system going.
Ultimately, the Enlightenment era affected the world by Machiavelli, ruling the people by dictatorships. John Locke, the protections of the people’s natural rights. Lastly, Montesquieu the idea of diving power among the branches, so not one branch can be more powerful than the other and the idea of check and balance. Therefore, the Enlightenment age was turning point in history for politics and the United State government.