Rousseau's Discourse On The Origin Of Inequality

In Rousseau’s Discourse on the Origin of Inequality Rousseau critiques Hobbes’ natural man in Leviathan. Rousseau states that Hobbes does not go far back enough to fully talk about a man in the state of nature. Rousseau disagrees with Hobbes’ definition of a natural man, saying Hobbes took a man, who has already been shaped by society and put him into a state of nature, and Hobbes fails to understand the effect of pity and that government only increases the problems of man. Suzanne Collin’s Hunger Games series appears to agree with Hobbes’ definition of the state of nature but in the end follows the evaluation Rousseau has of Hobbes.
In Hobbes’ Leviathan, Hobbes states that the right of nature “is the liberty each man hath to use his own power
At the beginning everyone is equal distance from the Cornucopia where all the supplies and weapons are, and “From this equality of ability ariseth equality of hope in the attaining of our ends”(I.XIII.3). Although Haymitch had told both Katniss and Peeta to “get the hell out of there”(HG138) when the gong sounds, Katniss is not so sure if that is the best option for her(HG149).She knows that she could protect herself with the bow and arrow she saw in the Cornucopia but cannot decide if it is worth it to go in (HG149).Katniss knows that she would not be able to win hand to hand combat so for her running towards the Cornucopia to grab the backpack to at least have something to help her through the Games, but not go all the way to the Cornucopia was the right move. While others, did run in the complete opposite direction of the Cornucopia, because they knew that decision was best for them (HG151). In the arena all the tributes are dressed the same in “simple tawny pants, light green blouse, sturdy brown belt, and thin hooded black jacket” (HG 145), the tributes are not allowed to bring anything with them into the arena besides a token from their district. This keeps them equal and keeps them enemies because then everyone in the arena is fighting for the items in the
This man “speak[s] continually of need, avarice, oppression, desires, and pride” ideas Rousseau argues “they acquire in society” (Rousseau 17). Because that man is not a savage, “Hobbes failed to notice… [man’s] innate repugnance to seeing his fellow man suffer,” a concept Rousseau refers to as pity (Rousseau 36). It is this natural pity that keeps people from hurting others for no reason. And since Hobbes does not see natural pity he does not understand that “as long as he does not resist the inner impulse of compassion, he will never harm another man … except … if his preservation were involved, he is obliged to give preference to himself” (Rousseau 14). But with natural pity the amount of vanity has for one’s self is lessened for “pity is what, in the state of nature, takes place of laws, mores, and virtue, with the advantage that no one is tempted to disobey its sweet voice” (Rousseau 38). Unfortunately, as savages learned to communicate with others and began to join and live with and see others everyday, “each one began to look at the others and to want to be looked at himself, and public esteem had a value” and once “the idea of esteem was formed in their minds, each one claimed to have a right to it and was no longer possible for anyone to be lacking it with impunity” (Rousseau 49). “Hence each man punished the contempt