Hobbes vs. Locke
Thomas Hobbes and John Locke each provide intriguing opinions concerning the state of nature, but their thinking differs when considering the form of governing that each promotes as being the most effective. The individuals in Locke's example of a government appear to have greater security than those in Hobbes', as the latter considers that there would be nothing wrong with people renouncing some of their rights in order to be provided with protection from the government. Locke emphasized that rights such as life, liberty, and the right to own property are inalienable and that it would be wrong for an institution, regardless of its intentions, to deny people of them.
From Hobbes' perspective, people cannot possibly be trusted as long as they attempt to govern themselves and it is thus essential for a form of monarchy to control them and to provide a safe environment. In contrast, Locke believed that all that people needed in order to govern themselves were instructions with regard to concepts like rationality and morality, as by becoming proficient in such domains they would experience little to no problems in constructing a safe society. From Locke's point-of-view, in order for people to be able to understand his thinking, they would have to think about how "all government in the world is the product only of force and violence, and that men live together by no other rules but that of beasts, where the strongest carries it" (Locke).
Locke's "Second Treatise on Civil Government" makes it possible for readers to understand the philosopher's thinking from the very first lines. Locke...
Nature by Hobbe and Locke Thomas Hobbes, in Leviathan, bases his argument of an all-powerful and unlimited government on a scientifically modeled reasoning. He asserts that it is only a sovereign and an all-powerful government that has the authority to attract full obedience from the subjects thus preventing them from resorting to violent acts of rebellion, chaos, and violence. Hobbes uses the desire-aversion principle and the man's insatiable desire for power
On the other hand, he suggested that the executive branch was responsible for insuring that the laws are actually obeyed and that it should operate continuously in society. His idea of a legislative body was one of a representative assembly, which would retain and exercise supreme power whenever it assembled. Its members would speak jointly for all people in that society. The executive and federative functions derived wholly from
So, who was right? Well, it seems that history has taught us again and again that in certain conditions, humans do express their evil and competitive natures (e.g. fascism, genocide, etc.); but that in other situations, the species can be incredibly giving and benevolent (think of Mother Theresa, people helping people). The complexity is that humans are not all one type or another, but a combination. Most sociologists believe
He favored a large and powerful government able to enforce its will on subjects, in order to control their natural unruliness. Locke, on the other hand thought men in the state of nature were good, but that due to their need to be secure in their property and to protect themselves from outside forces, they banded together to form a state to benefit themselves individually. He favored a limited
Basically, Hobbes takes a long historical view of human society, and sees the continuation of civil societies -- i.e. those organized under governments -- as the prime necessity for any progress. Left in the state of nature, mankind could not be guaranteed the continued success of any long-term projects, and therefore would not desire to undertake them. Also, without the rule of law, many men would not feel any need
Thomas Hobbes and John Locke: Perspectives on Governance and Power Though John Locke's theory of natural law and natural rights at first glance seem to oppose the conservative authoritarianism of Thomas Hobbes', both men set out to establish a framework for governance that would protect the rights of individuals. John Locke takes the approach that a democratic nation with a system of checks and balances was an essential ingredient to protecting
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