Similarities Between Locke And Thomas Hobbes
The idea of state of nature is well defined by both John Locke and Thomas Hobbes. Thomas Hobbes was born in 1588AD and died in 1679AD. He lived during the reign of Charles the King, an era when parliament was challenging the authority of the king. During this time there were a lot of civil wars in England. Because of this civil wars, he (Hobbes) believed that he was not born alone but had a brother-Fear. He says this because his mother gave birth to him pre-maturely as a result of fear during his birth. Hobbes is often considered as one of the most important power analysts as well as a social contractor and political philosopher. His theory can be described to be very pessimistic and dark but it cannot be underestimated. Hobbes believes that
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He describes the state of nature as a condition without government. According to Hobbes, in the state of nature there are no rights nor are there any obligations and duties. In this state every man has power over their neighbor. Thomas Hobbes, in Leviathan and his earlier work On the Citizen, he argues that all human are by nature equal in faculties of body and mind. That is, no natural inequalities are so great as to give anyone an inclusive benefit. In this state every person has a natural right or liberty to do anything one thinks necessary for preserving their survival; and life is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short. Within this state of nature, there is neither injustice nor is there personal property since no law is present apart from the laws of nature. Man greatest desire is survival. He can kill his neighbor to acquire what will make him survive. It’s the only right that man passes in this state of nature. The desire to survive makes him brutal and harmful to humanity. In this state, however, the greatest fear of man is death and especially violent death. He fears for his life and at the same time fights for his survival. Insecurity is the order of the day in this state if nature. Its war of all against all; says Thomas
He describes the state of nature as a condition without government. According to Hobbes, in the state of nature there are no rights nor are there any obligations and duties. In this state every man has power over their neighbor. Thomas Hobbes, in Leviathan and his earlier work On the Citizen, he argues that all human are by nature equal in faculties of body and mind. That is, no natural inequalities are so great as to give anyone an inclusive benefit. In this state every person has a natural right or liberty to do anything one thinks necessary for preserving their survival; and life is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short. Within this state of nature, there is neither injustice nor is there personal property since no law is present apart from the laws of nature. Man greatest desire is survival. He can kill his neighbor to acquire what will make him survive. It’s the only right that man passes in this state of nature. The desire to survive makes him brutal and harmful to humanity. In this state, however, the greatest fear of man is death and especially violent death. He fears for his life and at the same time fights for his survival. Insecurity is the order of the day in this state if nature. Its war of all against all; says Thomas