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Which political theory did the founding fathers rely on while drafting the constitution?
Social Contract Theory
What philosopher influenced the Framers' vision of a federal system?
The name that comes to mind is john Locke. Jefferson, Madison and other founding fathers pointed to him most of all. I would point out that it was Rousseau who penned what some would consider the classic treatise on contract theory, liberal republicanism and defining the sovereign separate from the state. And surely Leviathon, a book by Thomas Hobbes, talking about the necessity of representative government and the equality of all men was certainly in Jefferson's library. But the easy answer is John Locke but certainly not the all inclusive answer.
What were the founders idea for government?
The Founding Fathers were inspired by many different people (especially philosophers) and events, both personal and historical. It was these influences that caused them to create the basis for the government we have today. The Founding Fathers created a government for the people, by the people. Because of their negative experiences with Europe's monarchies, they wanted to ensure that each individual had the freedom to pursue his or her own interest whatever they may be. They also wanted to make certain that no one man obtained enough power to gain control of the country, so they established a series of checks and balances throughout the government. Just look at what it takes to have a bill passed into law - getting your bill sponsored by one or more senators, introducing it to the Senate which must come to a full consensus, then having it approved by the House of Representatives, all before it finally becomes a law. If any one of these parts goes awry (the House does not approve, or the EPA thinks it is not environmentally friendly, etc.), the bill will immediately be vetoed. The ideals of the Founding Fathers were manifested in the constitution. You can see where they got their inspiration by analyzing the Constitution. For instance, the theories of an English philosopher, John Locke, who believed in tolerance, equality, and independence were used throughout the Constitution, whose basis is, of course, people's right to, "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." This idea was taken from Locke's theory that each person has a right to life liberty, and the pursuit of property. Our government has gone through many changes over time, yet the ideas of the Founding Fathers remain, and can be seen throughout the branches of our government, and the laws of the Constitution. In order to preserve their ideals, we must preserve our constitution.
How did the founding fathers incorporate classical republican and Judeo-Christian ideas into the US Constitution?
Two of the main ideals that influenced the Founding Fathers were the Natural Rights Theory and Classical Republicanism. The former proposed that governments were founded for the purpose of protecting individual rights; the latter maintained that governments exist for the common good. James Madison was largely responsible for the synthesis of these two concepts into one system: basically, he said that people working for their own self interest (individual) could simultaneously benefit society (common good). Much of our Constitution consists of compromises between the individual and society, as do many of the controversial issues and decisions of our own day.
Author of natural rights?
John Locke wrote Two Treatises of Government, and believed that governments get their power from the consent of the governed. It was a turn away from the Divine Right Theory, and inspired the founding fathers.
