| A | B |
|---|
| Thomas Hobbes | used the idea of natural law to argue that absolute monarchy was the best form of government |
| John Locke | argued that people formed governments to protect their natural rights of life, liberty and property |
| Baron de Montesquieu | promoted the idea of separating governmental powers into three branches: legislative, executive and judicial |
| "The Wealth of Nations" | written by Adam Smith who argued that the free marked economy should regulate business activity |
| Natural Law | rule or law that governs human nature |
| Social Contract | agreement by which people give up their freedom to a powerful government in order to avoid chaos |
| Natural Right | a right that belongs to all humans from birth |
| Philosophe | member of a group of Enlightenment thinkers who tried to apply the methods of science to the improvement of society |
| Physiocrat | Enlightenment thinker who searched for natural laws to explain economics |
| Laissez-Faire | policy allowing business to operate with little or no government interference |
| Censorship | restriction on access to ideas and information |
| Salon | informal social gathering at which writers, artists, and philosophers exchanged ideas |
| Enlightened Despot | absolute ruler who uses his or her power to bring about political or social change |
| Tories | were generally land owning aristocrats who wanted to preserve old traditions |
| Whigs | backed the policies of the glorious revolution |
| Constitutional Government | government whose power is defined and limited by law |
| Prime Minister | head of the cabinet in a parliamentary government; usually the leader of the largest party in the legislature |
| Oligarchy | government in which the power belongs to a few people |
| Popular Sovereignty | the vote of the citizens is the final authority |
| Federal Republic | government in which the power is divided between the national, or federal, government and the states |
