Hobbes and Locke
Thomas Hobbes was interested in why people allowed themselves to be ruled and what would be the best form of government for England. In 1651, Hobbes wrote his most famous work, the Leviathan. In it, he argued that people were naturally evil and could not be trusted to govern. The constant state of war is what Hobbes believed to be man's original state of nature. According to Hobbes, man should not be trusted in the state of nature and limits must be put on freedom and inalienable rights. Hobbes lived in the 17th century, and wrote during the English Civil War, therefore; his political views were most likely influenced by the war. Hobbes thought that by bringing back the monarch, or any other sovereign, there would be an end to the civil war and "it is necessary to peace and depending on sovereign power" (415 Leviathan). Men are in competition for honor and dignity, according to Hobbes. Envy and hatred arise, eventually causing war. With this view that only selfish interes
He interpreted government to be a single governing body, made up of the power of the masses. Locke believed that when a man is born he is entitled to freedom. Hobbes believed that the need for government is to protect us from our other fellow citizens. Like Thomas Hobbes, John Locke discusses the idea political or civil society. In conclusion, through moral acts of giving up one's rights, one can hope to end the state of natural war between people, and reach a state of peace where defending oneself isn't a constant struggle. Hobbes wrote that if there was no power to keep people in fear, they would continually fight against each other. ts motivate humans, Hobbes argues that people are better off living in a world where the government has control over all the people and their actions. Hobbes believed that an absolute monarchy-a government that gave power to a king or queen was the best type of government. " (Locke 4) By joining into a community, Locke thinks man loses his natural liberties and now has to live by the laws of civil society. "(352) It is only by man's consent that he can be part of civil society. Since mankind is naturally competitive, unavoidably creating jealousy and hatred, they will lead themselves into war. ; he continues to say that that man is given the power to judge and act upon their judgment. Therefore, Locke states, "For when any number of men have, by the consent of every individual, made a community, they have thereby made that community one body, with a power to act as one body, which is only by the will and determination of the majority. "And this puts men out of a state of Nature into that of a commonwealth, by setting up a judge on Earth, with authority to determine all controversies.
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