LOCKE VS HOBBES –

ON THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT

Thomas Hobbes

1588 – 1678

England

John Locke

1632 - 1704

England

LOCKE VS HOBBES

B OOK

Two Treatises on Government (1690)

Leviathan (1651)

LOCKE VS HOBBES

MOTIV ATI ON

The Glorious Revolution (bloodless)

A positive version of Hobbes

Wrote to justify the Glorious Revolution

Justify removal of James II

Depressed about the beheading of Charles I in the English Civil War (1649)

He speculated about the nature of government and man

LOCKE VS HOBBES H UMANS

ARE

BORN

With a “clean slate”

Free and equal with 3 natural rights: (from God)

Life, Liberty, Property

(influences Jefferson)

Selfish –

Humans are motivated by self- interest and the quest for power

Natural law is kill or be killed

LOCKE VS HOBBES FAMOUS

QUOTE

“All mankind... being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm another in his life, health, liberty or possessions.”

“Without government, life would be solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”

LOCKE VS HOBBES ROLE

OF

GOVT

Government exists by consent of the governed

People agree to be governed if government protects 3 natural rights

People can break the contract (revolt) if gov’t violates rights.

Humans need an absolute monarchy to keep order