Name: Period: Date: Hobbes vs. Locke Analysis Why do we need government? Thomas Hobbes and John Locke were both Enlightenment philosophers that agreed on the necessity for government. They agreed that living in a “state of nature,” or living without order in society is undesirable and dangerous. This chaos leads to terrible human suffering. Social Contract Theory Both Hobbes and Locke believed in the concept of the Social Contract Theory meaning that people come together under an agreement to live under a government system. People literally sign a contract to live under a government. In the United States we call our contract the Constitution. What is the main objective of government? Hobbes and Locke differed in their opinion of the main objective of government. Hobbes believed that the primary objective of government was to create order in society. This required that people give up their rights to the government in exchange for protection and security. Hobbes believed that authoritarian rule was acceptable, as long as the authoritarian government could maintain peace and security. However, Locke believed that the primary objective of government was to protect the individual rights of the people in the society. This is known as liberty. Locke believed that that the social contract must establish the people as the highest power in society (popular sovereignty) and government serves the people to protect their rights. The people have the right to remove any government that becomes authoritarian or infringes on the rights of the people. Directions: Read the passages from Hobbes and Locke and answer the questions below. All the questions are written in order of the text, it’s easiest to answer the questions while you read. Note: The writing is over 300 years old, so some spelling and grammar used by Hobbes and Locke might be different than modern day writing. Thomas Hobbes – Leviathan (1660) On the State of Nature… NATURE has made men so equal in the faculties of the body and mind, as that… when all is reckoned together the difference between man and man is not so considerable as that one man can thereupon claim to himself any benefit to which another may not pretend as well as he. For, as to the strength of body, the weakest has strength enough to kill the strongest, either by secret machination or by confederacy with others that are in the same danger with himself. From this equality of ability arises equality of hope in the attaining of our ends. And therefore, if any two men desire the same thing which nevertheless they cannot both enjoy, they become enemies; and, in the way to their end, which is principally their own conservation and sometimes their delectation only, endeavor to destroy or subdue one another… Hereby it is manifest that, during the time men live without a common power to keep them all in awe, they are in that condition which is called war, and such a war as is of every man against every man. In (the State of Nature) there is no place for industry, because the fruit thereof is uncertain, and consequently no culture of the earth, no navigation nor use of the commodities that may be imported by sea, no commodious building, no instruments of moving and removing such things as require much force, no knowledge of the face of the earth; no account of time, no arts, no letters, no society, and, which is worst of all, continual fear and danger of violent death, and the life of man solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short. On the Social Contract… And because the condition of man, as hath been declared in the precedent chapter, is a condition of war of every one against every one, in which case every one is governed by his own reason, and there is nothing he can make use of that may not be a help unto him in preserving his life against his enemies, it followeth that in such a condition every man has a right to everything, even to one another’s body. And therefore, as long as this natural right of every man to everything endureth, there can be no security to any man. The first and fundamental law of Nature, which is, ‘to seek peace, and follow it.’ …From this fundamental law of Nature, by which men are commanded to endeavor (seek) peace, is derived this second law, that a man be willing, when others are too, for peace and defense of himself he shall think it necessary, to lay down (the) right to all things, (lay down the right to do whatever they want) and be contented with so much liberty against other men as he would allow other men against himself.’ (For the sake of self-preservation, a person will give up their rights when other people are willing to do the same.) On The Commonwealth… For the laws of nature, as justice, equity, modesty, mercy, and, in sum, doing to others as we would be done to, of themselves, without the terror of some power to cause them to be observed, are contrary to our natural passions, that carry us to partiality, pride, revenge, and the like. And covenants, without the sword, are but words and of no strength to secure a man at all. …if there be no power erected, or not great enough for our security, every man will and may lawfully rely on his own strength and art for caution against all other men. The only way to erect such a common power, as may be able to defend them from the invasion of foreigners, and the injuries of one another …is to confer all their power and strength upon one man, or upon one assembly of men, that may reduce all their wills, by plurality of voices, unto one will: which is as much as to say, to appoint one man, or assembly of men, to bear their person; and every one to own and acknowledge himself to be author of whatsoever he that so beareth their person shall act, or cause to be acted, in those things which concern the common peace and safety; and therein to submit their wills, every one to his will, and their judgments to his judgment. …I authorize and give up my right of governing myself to this man, or to this assembly of men, on this condition; that thou give up, thy right to him, and authorize all his actions in like manner. John Locke – Two Treaties of Government (1690) To understand political power, we must consider the condition in which nature puts all men. It is a state of perfect freedom to do as they wish and dispose of themselves and their possessions as they think fit, within the bounds of the laws of nature. They need not ask permission or the consent of any other man. The state of nature is also a state of equality. No one has more power or authority than another. Since all human beings have the same advantages and the use of the same skills, they should be equal to each other. The state of nature has a law of nature to govern it. Reason is the law. It teaches that all men are equal and independent, and that no one ought to harm another in his life, liberty, or possessions. All men are made by one all-powerful and wise Maker. They are all servants of one Master who sent them into the world to do His business. He has put men naturally into a state of independence, and they remain in it until they choose to become members of a political society. If a man in the state of nature is free, if he is absolute lord of his own person and possessions, why will he give up his freedom? Why will he put himself under the control of any person or institution? The obvious answer is that the rights in the state of nature are constantly exposed to the attacks of others. Since every man is equal and since most men do not concern themselves with equity and justice, the enjoyment of rights in the state of nature is unsafe and insecure. Hence each man joins in society with others to preserve life, liberty, and property. Since men hope to preserve their property by establishing a government, they will not want that government to destroy this objective. When legislators (lawmakers) try to destroy or take away the property of the people, or try to reduce them to slavery, they put themselves into a state of war with the people who can then refuse to obey the laws. When legislators try to gain or give someone else absolute power over lives, liberties, and property of the people, they abuse the power which the people had put into their hands. It is then the privilege of the people to establish a new legislature to provide for their safety and security. These principles also hold true for the executive who helps to make laws and carry them out. Perhaps some will say that the people are ignorant and discontented (unhappy) and that a government based on their unsteady opinion and uncertain humor will be unstable. They might argue that no government can exist for long if the people may set up a new legislature whenever they do not like the old one. But people do not easily give up their old forms of government. In England, for example, the unwillingness of the people to throw out their old constitution has kept us to, or brought us back to, our old legislature of king, lords, and commons. However, it will be said that this philosophy may lead to frequent rebellion. To which I answer, such revolutions are not caused by every little mismanagement in public affairs. But if a long train of abuses, lies, and tricks make a government's bad intentions visible to the people, they cannot help seeing where they are going. It is no wonder that they will then rouse themselves, and try to put the rule into hands, which will secure to them the purpose for which government was originally organized. Name: __________________________________________ Per: _____ Date: _______________________ Thomas Hobbes – Leviathan 1. According to Hobbes, how do people compare to one another in the state of nature? 2. What is the effect of this (your answer to the first question) according to Hobbes? 3. Do you think that Hobbes admires the State of Nature? What in the reading leads you to this conclusion? 4. What right does a person have in the state of nature? Because of this what cannot be secured? 5. What is the first law of nature? Answer in your own words. 6. What is the second law of nature? Answer in your own words. 7. Hobbes writes, “Covenants (agreements), without the sword, are but words and of no strength to secure a man at all.” What does this quote mean? 8. What type of government does Hobbes want? What in the passage leads you to this conclusion? 9. Based on everything you have read do you think that Hobbes would support a rebellion against the government? Why or why not? John Locke – Two Treaties of Government 10. According to Locke, how much freedom do people have in the state of nature? 11. According to Locke, how do people compare to one another in the state of nature? 12. What is the law that governs the state of nature? What does that mean? 13. What is the status of your rights in the state of nature according to Locke? 14. According to Locke, people enter into a social contract (government) to protect what three things? 15. What does Locke say people can do when they take away these three things? 16. Why does Locke say that the answer to #15 will not happen often? Answer Key 1. People are equal. 2. People see themselves as equal and form equal desires. From the equal desires, everyone competes for the same resources resulting in war and chaos. 3. He does not admire the state of nature. He believes life in the state of nature is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short. 4. They have the right to do anything they want, and therefore there will never be peace or security. 5. To seek peace. 6. To give up their right to do anything if others are willing to do the same in order to achieve peace. 7. Laws are ineffective without strong authority to enforce the law. 8. A strong leader or assembly of leaders that has all the power to make decisions and enforce the law. 9. No, a rebellion would lead society back into the state of nature which is unacceptable to Hobbes. 10. Perfect freedom 11. Equal 12. Reason 13. Rights are constantly exposed and attacked by others. 14. Life, liberty, property 15. People can form a new government that will provide safety and security. 16. Revolutions are not caused by every little problem, they are caused by a long history of abuse from the government.
