In this paper‚ I will examine the political philosophies of Thomas Hobbes and John Locke. I will investigate both men’s ideas individually and offer my own views on their theories. I will conclude the paper by comparing and contrasting the notions introduced in their respective writings. Thomas Hobbes was born in Wiltshire‚ England in 1588. He lived in one of the most unsettled periods in English history. Following a rebellion against King Charles‚ there resulted a civil war‚ which began in 1642
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maintained the argument that humans could grow and progress‚ and stated that humans could reorganize society on the grounds of equality‚ justice‚ and freedom. Thomas Hobbes‚ John Locke‚ and Jean-Jacques Rousseau were all members of The Enlightenment movement‚ and each had their own idea on how human society should be structured and run. Locke and Hobbes lived around the same time‚ and some of their political theories were the same‚ however‚ by the time Rousseau came along‚ much had changed. Born in Geneva
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political philosopher and social contract theorists of all time‚ John Locke and Thomas Hobbes both used ‘The State of Nature’ as a medium in order to understand the basic human nature and natural human rights in their writings. Both‚ then used their own understanding of the human nature in order to determine and justify the ideal form of government‚ its role and its powers. However‚ Locke and Hobbes reach markedly different conclusions. Hobbes argues that every man should concede all of his natural rights
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looked at a social contract‚ both Hobbes and Locke had different views on a social contract then we believe it to be. Social contract is how people decide to have a government and talks about how much authority can the government have over the people. Some similarities are to prevent violence against fellow citizens. For Tomas Hobbes‚ this means curbing the natural state of chaos. For John Locke‚ this means preventing any and all violations of individual rights. Both Hobbes and Lock base their theory on
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While in exile‚ Niccoló Machiavelli and Thomas Hobbes wrote about their political views on how to inaugurate a sturdy government. During each of their lives‚ they both contributed political philosophies that had differences and similarities. In Machiavelli’s The Prince and Hobbes’s The Leviathan‚ their philosophies are portrayed on how to maintain a stable government. Hobbes is recognized as the founder of the most later Western political philosophy in response to the social contract theory he established
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Thomas Hobbes was an English philosopher who was lived from 1588-1679. He attended Oxford University where he studied classics. His occupation was a tutor‚ but he also traveled around Europe to meet with scientists and to study different forms of government. He became interested in why people allowed themselves to be ruled‚ and what would be the best form of government for England. Thomas Hobbes was the first great figure in modern moral philosophy. Hobbes had a pessimistic view of people; he
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things for the better” (“Quotes on LEADERSHIP”). This quote by Harry Truman is similar to Thomas Hobbes’ beliefs. Hobbes believed that if we want to live in a society peacefully and harmoniously we need to surrender some of our rights and have a single leader. However‚ his theory was contrary to John Stuart Mill’s beliefs‚ that each and every single person of society should be their own leader. In regards to Hobbes‚ he believed in the natural right of self-preservation. He believed that human beings
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philosophers’ dissimilarity in ideology‚ it is rather helpful to make sense of the historical circumstances of these two men. Thomas Hobbes was born in England in 1588. He claims that his premature birth was the result of his mother going into labor early after she heard that the Spanish Armada was on its way to invade England. Regarding the event of his birth‚ Hobbes wrote in his autobiography‚ “My Native place I’m not asham’d to own; Th’ill Times‚ and Ills born with me‚ I bemoan: For Fame had
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John Locke was born on August 29‚ 1632‚ in Warington‚ a village in Somerset‚ England. In 1646 he went to Westminster school‚ and in 1652 to Christ Church in Oxford. In 1659 he was elected to a senior studentship‚ and tutored at the college for a number of years. Still‚ contrary to the curriculum‚ he complained that he would rather be studying Descartes than Aristotle. In 1666 he declined an offer of preferment‚ although he thought at one time of taking up clerical work. In 1668 he was elected a fellow
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American colonies.” (Hunt 484) These English colonies found their most lasting appearance in the writings of Thomas Hobbes and John Locke. Many people in Europe preferred absolutist systems and many people also preferred the constitutional systems. Thomas Hobbes justified absolute authority and Locke provided the basis for constitutionalism. The both of them argued that all
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