Tim Alfaro
10-3-02
Humanities 1314
Hobbes/Locke
Hobbes and Locke both abandoned the thought of the divine right of monarchy. Both did not agree with the fact that the ruler or assembly would have all power over its citizens. So basically they were against Absolutism and their views were that of rebels in their time period. Theses two philosophers both held similar ideas but also have conflicting ideas pertaining to the citizens “social contract” with their rulers, “Natural Condition of Mankind,” and sovereignty.
John Locke believed that citizens should give power to those who govern them but not absolute power. He suggested that the “power must remain with the ruled” (Fiero, 97). His social contract that he proposed was similar to Hobbes but did not include the absolute power component by the ruler or assembly. Locke’s philosophy on the “Natural Condition of Mankind” was that human beings were created equal at birth, that they were free at birth, and that humans have the capability to do “common good” through their own reason they are born with. John Locke came to the idea that when humans enter the world they are born with no knowledge of anything dismal and basically that they were born perfect. He also stated that people “had the right to life, liberty, and estate which is basically what we have now. Locke’s modern day liberalist ideas about the people’s sovereignty was that the power should rest with the people. He expressed that the government should be there to preserve our natural rights. He also explains that if a ruler or the assembly governing came to unfair ruling then the citizens had the right to rebel. This is a cautious idea to be expressing especially during Locke’s time when people were being killed for opposing the government. Although Locke’s ideas we mostly speaking good about humans and their well being, Hobbes’ ideas were dissimilar.
