Thomas Hobbes and John locke were both famous philosophers during the enlightenment period. They were social contract theorists and natural law theorists, they both impacted the modern government, modern science, and the world in general tremendously. However that is where the resemblance ends. If one looks more deeply, they will see that these two philosophers actually had very contrasting opinions. Hobbes was more pessimistic about the world whereas Locke had a more optimistic outlook on his surrounding environment.
Hobbes and Locke had very different upbringings and backgrounds, which led them to having very different points of view on life. Hobbes was born on April 5, 1588 in Westport, Wiltshire. Hobbes was surrounded by the glory of riches and fame that comes with the idea of monarchy. He lived a lavish life under the monarchy, which led him to believe that monarchy was the best possible way to govern a country. Hobbes was hired by the Cavendish family to tutor the Earls of Devonshire.
Thomas Hobbes He liked to study various types of government. He thought that the government of a monarchy was better than democracy because he had no doubt that they were naturally wicked and were not to be trusted to govern. He believed that it was better to have a governor like a king that would know how to act like a leader and rule a country. He said that democracy was for the selfish people who were trying to hide their bad decisions. John Locke John Locke was born on August 29, 1632, in Wrington, England.
Sovereignty and Right in the Eyes of Hobbes and Locke The state of nature is the common thread between Hobbes and Locke. It is a realm of reality that would ensue if society was disbanded and human nature dictated man’s actions. Hobbes and Locke considered the state of nature and how humans acted without outside forces as indicators to show how politics should work. It is the absence of order and rule, that helps both philosophers determine the complete opposite, sovereignty from a political covenant. Although both their ideas of sovereignty stem from an analysis of the state of nature, they do not arrive at the same kind of sovereign, because they have different interpretations and conclusions on human nature.
Summary Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) theory of social contract, which states that we need moral, legal rules because we want to escape the state of nature which is solitary, poor, brutal, nasty, and short. In this state, a man can kill others, and there are limited resources. This can soon lead to a state of war in which we are constantly disposed to harm others to achieve our goals. So, in this state of war if a person was to possess a beautiful house or property, and had all the comforts, luxuries, and amenities to lead a wonderful life; others could come and harm him and deprive him of his fruit of labor, life, and liberty. Therefore, the state of nature is that of fear, violence, and distrust.
In their individual bodies of work, Hobbes and Locke both advocate for their own solutions to escaping the state of nature. Through the use of a collective social contract amongst the population, citizens now find themselves in a society governed by some common arbitrator and leadership. However, the two philosophers approach the concepts of the state of nature and social contract from opposing viewpoints - a contrast which is reflected throughout the majority of their philosophies. The foundational difference throughout their pieces rests on how they view human nature and the innate will of people - be it corrupt and self-servicing or free and capable of reason. This divergence in thought is representative in the way they define key principles, argue for certain stances,
John Locke and Baron de Montesquieu were political philosophers that debated the question of who was best fit to control the government. Locke and Montesquieu shared similar political beliefs such as natural rights and the separation of government powers. However, both philosophers did, in fact, have their personal views that helped them accomplish important achievements. John Locke published “Two Treatises of Government” and “ An Essay Concerning Human Understanding,” which present a detail philosophy of the mind and thought. Locke’s “An Essay Concerning Human Understanding,” lays out his philosophical project.
In this section, I will like to compare these two philosophers‟ views. First of all, their conceptions of natural inclinations are different. Locke disagrees on naturalism while Rousseau disagrees on the use of habits and social conventions for the education of young children. Locke believes that humans are born without innate ideas and gradually acquired knowledge through experience and external environment. He fostered an idea of “tabula rasa” which believes the child is born neutral not evil.
Other philosophers like Thomas Hobbes, Voltaire, Montesquieu, and Rousseau impacted founders like George Washington and James Madison who have positively affected this country in many different ways. One of the many philosophers was a European man, named John Locke. One of his theories in his
He was greatly influenced by the scientific discoveries. In addition, he researched and interpreted his own way how the laws of human nature should be view by all human beings. Firstly, he describes that the life of people before government is sufficiently pleasant but doesn’t have any security. Secondly, He states that people leave their state of non-governance to safeguard their property and to secure their rights. Thirdly, the social contract is between the people and a chosen form of government.