Document Analysis: Absolutism and Constitutionalism

Primary Sources:

• Bishop Bossuet, Politics Drawn from the Very Words of Holy Scripture
• Domat, Social Order and Absolute Monarchy
• Hobbes, Leviathan
• Locke, The Second Treatise of Government
• English Bill of Rights
• Sayings of Confucius (at end of Chapter 1)

Instructions:

You are to write a two-page (300-500 words) essay discussing how societies wrestled with the idea of an ideal form of government. Most of the primary documents Im providing come from Europe in the 1600s and 1700s, but your online textbook discusses some of the same tensions as they played out in China.

Your essay should focus on the two essays by Domat and Locke. You may also refer to the other assigned documents or content in the textbook.

Include a one-third to one-half page summary of each. Answer most of these questions:

• How does each describe the equality of men?
• What is the ideal model for government in each?
• Why is government needed?
• How is central government justified?
• What are the checks on absolute power?

To lighten things up, you might imagine that Domat and Locke are having a flame war on twitter. What would the topic be? Write at least one burn (sick or not) one of them might make.

Feel free to bring in your observations about differences and similarities between the European and Chinese experience.