Enlightenment Grudge Match: Locke
Versus Hobbes
Essential Question: How did Locke and Hobbes
disagree with each other about the nature of mankind
and what government should be like?
I. Thomas Hobbes: Human Nature
• According to Hobbes, people by nature are…
-Selfish
-Brutish (brutal)
-Evil
-Corrupt
-Mean
-etc…
II. John Locke: Human Nature
• According to Locke, people by nature are…
-a tabula raza (say what???)
-Locke believed that people at birth were a blank
slate and the society (friends, family, television,
etc…) would corrupt (change) them
-Most people would become good, but a few
would become bad, so we need laws and
punishments for them only
III. Thomas Hobbes: Strong Gov.
• Hobbes felt that since people were bad by nature,
they needed powerful government that could make
quick decisions to keep them in line
• People needed harsh laws that kept them in place
and to keep them from being able to do the horrible
things they would do otherwise
• Hobbes felt that the best way to ensure order was to
have a monarchy
IV. John Locke: Government of Rights
• Locke felt that since most people were good, they
deserved to have rights
• He called these “Natural Rights” which all people
received at birth
• Locke’s three natural rights were
-life
-liberty
-property
V. John Locke: Government of Rights
• Locke argued that the purpose of government was to
protect people’s rights
• If the government refused to protect those rights,
then people had the right to change their government
• By any means necessary…
-Vote
-Revolt
-Kill
-Atomic bombs (not really)
Writing Assignment:
• Do you agree more with Locke or Hobbes about
human nature and the role of government and rights?
Explain yourself in a well written 3 paragraph essay…