Thomas Hobbes And John Locke - 1494 Words

1) Thomas Hobbes and John Locke share the basic assumption that a theory based off of abstract individualism, consent, sovereignty and reason will produce a peaceful and productive society. This theory is the liberal political theory, which is the philosophy of individual rights and a limited government. Both Hobbes and Locke both center the majority of their ideas off of how people’s lives should be based off of nature rights instead of natural law. This being said, people are also subject to the moral laws set and it is ones duty to preserve his wellbeing and strive to meet his own goals but this is where Hobbes and Locke’s theories starts to differ. According to Hobbes, he addresses his abstract individualism in the state of nature†¦show more content†¦Since John Locke is a follower of Hobbes, a lot of his theory’s stem from the same general thoughts in a state of nature. In Locke’s state of nature, men are independent, free and equal. This does come with some limitations, which are that men are at liberty to do as they please, only if they stay within the bounds of the law of nature. As for consent, Locke uses his social contract to show how the people must obey the government or the sovereign but only if the government respects the individuals within the commonwealth’s rights. These rights may be natural but also must primarily follow the moral laws of the social contract. One way Hobbes and Locke differ is with the state of war. Locke believes that all men must respect the rights of other men and it s their duty to do so even within the state of nature when all people are doing what they can to r each their goals. This duty of respecting everyone’s rights is what Locke refers to as the natural law. 2) Thomas Hobbes and John Locke both share similar ideas on the liberal political theory and how it is to be universally recognized and followed by all people and societies. They are realistic and do recognize problems that may cause problems to the system. Those problems are that not everyone will live up to the expectations they have discussed to be universally known. The two groups of people they note may break the written and unwritten laws of society are those who willingly and knowingly do,Show MoreRelatedJohn Locke And Thomas Hobbes886 Words   |  4 Pagesdiscuss the differences in political theories expressed by both John Locke and Thomas Hobbes. In, Leviathan, by Thomas Hobbes, and in, The Second Treatise of Government, by John Locke different theories of political legitimacy and definitions of the state of nature are described. The following paragraphs analyze multiple different points that are imperative to understanding these political theories. In the reading, Leviathan, Thomas Hobbes discusses what human existence is in the state of nature andRead MoreThomas Hobbes And John Locke911 Words   |  4 Pagessocial contract theory, Thomas Hobbes and John Locke established many of the founding ideals that contemporary Liberalism is based on. While the shared many similar positions, there are some key distinctions to be made between the arguments Hobbes and Locke make in Leviathan and Second Treatise of Civil Government, respectively. In this paper I will argue the differences between how each of them viewed the right of the subjects to revolt from the sovereign. Thomas Hobbes published his most famousRead MoreThomas Hobbes And John Locke Essay1441 Words   |  6 PagesEifling-Question 4 Hobbes and Locke During and after the English Revolution, a few philosophers expressed different views on their philosophical outlook and life experiences. Some of the most outstanding thinkers include Thomas Hobbes and John Locke. 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They both developedRead MoreThomas Hobbes And John Locke1346 Words   |  6 PagesContracts Thomas Hobbes and John Locke were two English political philosophers, who have had a lasting impact on modern political science. Thomas Hobbes and John Locke both spent much of their lives attempting to identify the best form of government. Locke and Hobbes were among the most prominent of theorists when it came to social contract and human rights. A Social Contract is an agreement among the members of a society to cooperate for social benefits. Thomas Hobbes and John Locke, are the twoRead MoreThomas Hobbes And John Locke928 Words   |  4 Pagesthere is no formed society, government, laws, safety, etc. both Thomas Hobbes and John Locke take this into perspective while introducing a political view. As illustrated by Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Karl Marx, and Friedrich Engels, they proposed political views on how human nature can prosper. Initially, Thomas Hobbes introduces a concept on the state of nature and its effects as well as how peace can be achieved. In Leviathan, Hobbes defines what living in a state of nature would be like and theRead MoreThomas Hobbes And John Locke888 Words   |  4 Pagesare very similar but diverge in the moments that solidify their stance on their opinion. Thomas Hobbes and John Locke is both political scientist who have made strides in the area of social contracts and share being natural law theorist also. Locke and all other natural law theorists assumed that man was by nature a social animal and there fore struck contracts with each other to secure safety among them. Hobbes assumed differently, thus his verdicts are very different from other natural law theoristsRead MoreThomas Hobbes And John Locke1426 Words   |  6 PagesBy the second half of the 17th Century, England would experience one of the bloodiest conflicts in its history, ultimately serving to influence some of the mo st phenomenal political philosophers in Europe --Thomas Hobbes, and John Locke. England was in constant unrest, choosing new forms of government almost on a whim in desperate attempts to restore order in the Country. The English Civil War in 1642 etched a legacy of dread in the people of England, and the war only appeared more disastrous andRead MoreThomas Hobbes And John Locke1659 Words   |  7 Pagesmajority. The following pages show how modern social contract theory especially that of Thomas Hobbes and John Locke, grew into the divisive issue it is in contemporary political philosophy. Modern social contract theory can trace its roots to prominent thinkers Thomas Hobbes and John Locke. It is their thoughts on social contracts that lie at the center of the many spheres we are a part of. For Hobbes and Locke, social contract theory sought to analyze the relationship between rulers and the ruledRead MoreThomas Hobbes And John Locke1361 Words   |  6 PagesThomas Hobbes and John Locke were two English thinkers in the seventeenth-century who s ideas became a key to the Enlightenment. Baron de Montesquieu and Voltaire were philosophers who applied the methods of science to understand and improve society. Thomas Hobbes believed in a powerful government. He believed people were naturally cruel, greedy, and selfish, and if they were not strictly controlled they would commit crimes and abuse one another. He believed that life with no government would be