KEY ENLIGHTENED IDEASKEY POLITICAL WRITERS1. John Locke (1632-1704)- people are born with "natural rights" that include "life, liberty, andproperty."- people form governments to preserve their natural rights.- government is therefore based on the consent of the governed.- Government is a contract in which rulers promise to protect the people'snatural rights.- If rulers betray the social contract, the people have a right to replace them.2. Charles de Montesquieu (1689-1755)- In his Spirit of the Laws - the ideal government separated powers amonglegislative, executive, and judicial- divided authority would protect the rights of individuals by preventing onebranch of government from gaining unrestricted control over theentire society.