What are some Ideas of Enlightenment and how did they influence the development of government in the United States?

Question

kohai · Answer

The major influence was the notion that humans are inherently good and that mere education will bring them to right decisions. This is still the doctrine of the California Department of Corrections [prisons] and Rehabilitation. They changed the name to reflect the idea that sufficient education can rehabilitate--make a non-criminal of a felon. 
The U.S. Constitution, therefore, had great faith in the people to both support and monitor their government. 
Our question to answer is whether, after 222 years of that experiment, we have proven or disproven the human beings who are citizens of the United States to have been bettered by education. Or did that "education" become indoctrination?