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Under What Conditions Is Revolution Against That Government Justified?

Hobbes and Locke had differing views on the natural state of man and the justification for government authority. Hobbes saw the natural state as one of war and fear where life would be "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short." He believed people enter a social contract to establish a powerful sovereign, like a leviathan, to impose order and security. Locke viewed the natural state as relatively peaceful, with people rationally avoiding constant fighting. For Locke, people consent to government to improve conditions, not just ensure survival. They disagreed on natural law - Locke saw an inherent moral sense while Hobbes viewed law as enforcing contracts for self-interest.

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49 views2 pages

Under What Conditions Is Revolution Against That Government Justified?

Hobbes and Locke had differing views on the natural state of man and the justification for government authority. Hobbes saw the natural state as one of war and fear where life would be "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short." He believed people enter a social contract to establish a powerful sovereign, like a leviathan, to impose order and security. Locke viewed the natural state as relatively peaceful, with people rationally avoiding constant fighting. For Locke, people consent to government to improve conditions, not just ensure survival. They disagreed on natural law - Locke saw an inherent moral sense while Hobbes viewed law as enforcing contracts for self-interest.

Uploaded by

Alex Modares
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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What justifies the authority of government? What difference in their "social contract" theories results in that difference?

Where does natural law come from? Hobbes: Hobbes first points out that we always do what is in our best interest, whether it be killing an intruder, lying in order to gain an advantage over another person, or worse, all of which add up to war, fear, and chaos. Hobbes also says that if there is not a power to keep people in awe, they will eventually fall into war against each other. covenants, without the sword, are but words, and of no strength to secure a man at all Hobbes reasons that no rational person would harm themselves, and being that the Leviathan is made up of each and every one of us, no one should harm the Leviathan. Exceptions are granted by Hobbes if the masses are at war with the Leviathan Why do we enter a social contract? Hobbes: Hobbes argues that without a social contract, we would be in a state of chaos, fear, and war; circumstances that are not very favorable to survival by the greatest number of individuals. The basis for this belief is that each will do what is best for them. Locke: asserts that the state of nature, despite each acting in self-interest, is relatively peaceful based on the fact that men don't want to risk their lives all the time by fighting constantly. Basically, Locke contends that naturally, man would work to maintain at least a coexistence of some sorts. Although not as favorable to mass survival as government, man would still be somewhat protected, and simply makes his social contract to improve things--not to save them
Under what conditions is revolution against that government justified?

State of nature Locke: men inherently have a moral sense which restricts them from engaging in certain acts. By virtue of being children of God, we know what is right and wrong and by extension what is lawful Locke: Moral Hobbes:Amoral Locke views the law as a means of enforcing the dictates of nature, Hobbes views it as a means of enforcing contracts

Thesis: Why do we agree to enter into a social contract, and where do our natural rights come from? This paper will analyze the two 17th century philosophers John Locke and Thomas Hobbes and compare their ideas about the true state of nature of man and how that effect subsequent forms of governing. Intro 1st State of nature: what is it, hobbes, locke, me What conditions gave way to their view of state of nature Is the state of man evolving? Could we survive without form of government? 2nd What is government and why is it necessary Where is their power? Who decides what laws are? How much power should the government have? 3rd When is revolution justified? How to deal with differing views? Should church and state be separate?

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