In 1762, Rousseau wrote “The Social Contract, Or Principles of Political Right,” in which he explained that government is based on the idea of popular sovereignty. The essence of this idea is that the will of the people as a whole gives power and direction to the state.

What was the main goal of most Enlightenment thinkers? The main goal was to use human reason to achieve knowledge, freedom and happiness.

1) Enlightenment philosophers believed that society could be improved by using reason (logic) and natural law (universal rules that are always true). 2) Enlightenment philosophers believed that governments receive their authority (power) from the people (NOT from God).

The social contract states that “rational people” should believe in organized government, and this ideology highly influenced the writers of the Declaration of Independence. that created it, or popular sovereignty. He believed that every citizen was equal in the view of the government.

Thomas Jefferson’s view of the human species in their natural state closely paralleled that of another famous British philosopher, John Locke. They established a government, formed by a social contract, only to protect the rights that they already had in the state of nature.

The Declaration of Independence justified our right to revolt against a government that no longer guaranteed us our natural rights. The Declaration of Independence stated certain ideals that the colonists believed were important for man to have, such as liberty and equality.