John Locke Vs Hobbes Essay
The seventeenth century in England was a time of many kings. Within a century, the reigns of five kings as well as a military dictator had run rampant over England’s government. Starting with James I, the English monarchy traversed to Charles I, Oliver Cromwell, Charles II, James II, and finally William III. With the ascensions of Cromwell and William III, drastic events changed the course of England’s history, as well as influencing two famous philosophical men. Thomas Hobbes, author of Leviathan, and John Locke, author of Second Treatise on Civil Government, drew on their experiences of England’s monarchical turmoil to conceive very different political theories. Both Thomas Hobbes and John Locke were prominent political philosophers in the
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Hobbes wrote Leviathan in 1651, at the conclusion of the bloody English Civil War. Conversely, Locke wrote Second Treatise on Civil Government in 1690, after having witnessed the bloodless overthrow of King James II. The factors which surrounded each event greatly affected the philosophy of the writer experiencing them. Thomas Hobbes’ interpretation of the social contract originated from a civil war where society ‘broke’ their social contract by executing Charles I, causing a harsh military dictatorship to begin. As written in Leviathan, “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.” Hobbes believed that if all people had a similar amount of power, they would only use this power to try to lessen the power of others. As such, he emphasized that one absolutist was always better than multiple rulers. On the other hand, John Locke saw a new English Bill of Rights introduced at the end of the Glorious Revolution. The Bill of Rights limited the English monarchy, gave power to Parliament, and returned some rights to the citizens. Inspired by the rebels, Locke wrote, “when their legislators have acted contrary to their trust, by invading their property, is the best defence against rebellion, and the probablest means to hinder it: for
Hobbes wrote Leviathan in 1651, at the conclusion of the bloody English Civil War. Conversely, Locke wrote Second Treatise on Civil Government in 1690, after having witnessed the bloodless overthrow of King James II. The factors which surrounded each event greatly affected the philosophy of the writer experiencing them. Thomas Hobbes’ interpretation of the social contract originated from a civil war where society ‘broke’ their social contract by executing Charles I, causing a harsh military dictatorship to begin. As written in Leviathan, “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.” Hobbes believed that if all people had a similar amount of power, they would only use this power to try to lessen the power of others. As such, he emphasized that one absolutist was always better than multiple rulers. On the other hand, John Locke saw a new English Bill of Rights introduced at the end of the Glorious Revolution. The Bill of Rights limited the English monarchy, gave power to Parliament, and returned some rights to the citizens. Inspired by the rebels, Locke wrote, “when their legislators have acted contrary to their trust, by invading their property, is the best defence against rebellion, and the probablest means to hinder it: for