The Influence of Locke and Hobbes on Government - 1735 Words

Thomas Hobbes and John Locke have authored two works that have had a significant impact on political philosophy. In the â€Å"Leviathan† by Hobbes and â€Å"Two Treatises of Government† by Locke, the primary focus was to analyze human nature to determine the most suitable type of government for humankind. They will have confounding results. Hobbes concluded that an unlimited sovereign is the only option, and would offer the most for the people, while for Locke such an idea was without merit. He believed that the government should be limited, ruling under the law, with divided powers, and with continued support from its citizens. With this paper I will argue that Locke had a more realistic approach to identifying the human characteristics that†¦show more content†¦This absolute Sovereign will gain power when the citizens have given up the entirety of their rights to this new authority and agreeing to a covenant. This is considered a rational action, and is the o nly option for the body of people to smoothly come together. When that happens, an organized society forms, in which the consequences of not adhering to the rules and regulations of the covenant will be so severe, that no one would attempt to violate this contract and disobey the Sovereign. That can happen since first, the Sovereign has deadly force and is permitted to use it whenever he or she likes, and, second, the citizens have parted away with all their rights, and cannot protect themselves from this Sovereign. That fact creates a fearful, and therefore, obedient society. This limitless Sovereign is justified, based on information from the â€Å"Leviathan.† As we can infer from Hobbes’ views on human nature, people will always act selfishly and in an evil manner to obtain the things that they want. As a result, for people to contract into a peaceful society that will have what they want and need readily available, they must be bound by force. If this distrustful group of people had an inclination that the governing authority was weak, they would overturn it, fatefully returning them to the state of nature. Additionally, this absolute monarchy is considered warranted, according toShow MoreRelatedTwo Sided Coin: Thomas Hobbes vs. John Locke Essay905 Words   |  4 Pages Two-sided coin: Thomas Hobbes vs. John Locke There are always two-sides everything including people and the government, kind of like science vs. faith view. With Thomas Hobbes and John Locke, they give the impression to be on opposite sides when it comes to people, society and the government even and yet both were Englishmen. Hobbes was born 5 April 1588 and died 4 December 1679; he is best known today for his work on political philosophy. While John Locke was 29 August 1632 and died 28 OctoberRead MoreJohn Locke s Theory Of Government884 Words   |  4 Pagesshow how Thomas Jefferson’s theory of revolution follows the speculation of government from the philosopher John Locke. We’ll additionally discuss Thomas Hobbes’s theory of government. Both John Locke and Jefferson’s theories contributed to the American Revolution and to the Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson’s theory of revolution found within the Declaration of Independence follows John Locke’s theory of government in multiple aspects, as well as in both the description of freedom of opportunityRead MoreJohn Locke: Founding Father of Modern Era Liberalism1444 Words   |  6 PagesThomas Hobbes, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and John Locke are all great thinkers who were greatly influential in forming philosophies that would affect the future of politics. 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Thomas Hobbes lived during revolutionary timesRead 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 most 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 MoreViews of Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau815 Words   |  4 Pages3/9/13 Thomas Hobbes, John Locke and Jean-Racques Rosseau were philosophers who stated their belief of human nature and how we should govern mankind. Although Rousseau was born a different time than Hobbes and Locke, they all had a very strong influence on the way governments should function. 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He had quite a few accomplishments during his lifetime including writing many books and supporting the popular belief thatRead MoreBriefly Explain What Is Meant by the â€Å"Scientific Revolution† That Took Place in Seventeenth Century Europe, and How It Marked a Departure from Ancient and Medieval Philosophy.1603 Words   |  7 Pagesway Europeans viewed mankind, society, and traditional beliefs? The discoveries and exploration of the world overseas became key new influence on the European views of human cultures and nature of the human beings. Although Europe was a prominent figure during that time, Europe began rooting its territories overseas to analyze its comparison. The influence of European expansion can easily be seen: the Indian societies of America were modified or overshadowed; the indigenous societies of AfricaRead MoreJohn Locke And Thomas Hobbes886 Words   |  4 Pagesthe 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 and the