John Locke And Rousseaus Theory Of The State Of Nature

Thomas Hobbes, John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau all claim an integral space in the realm of political philosophy. Through their respective dissertations, each author analyzed man in his natural state and derived a form of civil society from that conclusion. While each author observes man in his own way and thus come to his own forms of subsequent government, equality seems to be a defining feature in all of their theories. All authors engage this notion heavily within their texts and use this comparison of man to man to draw powerful inferences from that. This paper will briefly summarize Hobbes’, Locke, and Rousseau’s definition of the state of nature and then critically analyze the role of equality in crafting the construction of government. In Leviathan, Thomas Hobbes paints a grim picture about man’s natural state. Famously characterized as â€Å"solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short (Hobbes 89),† man’s life is chaotic. The state of nature, Hobbes insists, is a â€Å"state of warre(Hobbes 88)† which pits men against men. Man naturally aims for felicity, defined as â€Å"continual success in obtaining those things which a man from time to time desire, that is to say, continual prospering (Hobbes 46).† People think of their own interests and their pursuits of said interests may put them into conflict with another, in which violent war may emerge. Man, thus, lives in a state of constant fear. Hobbes proposes that all people, then, submit to a sovereign. They must enter aShow MoreRelatedPolitical Theory: Property1369 Words   |  6 Pagesconfounding concepts in the discipline of political theory is the issue of property. Classical philosophers like Plato and Aristotle dedicate a large part of their works to speculations about the state of nature and property ownership. However, a comprehensive theoretical exploration of the concept of private property ownership is credited to relatively modern philosophers like Thomas Hobbes, John Locke and Jean Jacques Rousseau. The writings of Locke and Rousseau on property ownership are quite fascinatingRead MoreModern Liberalism and Political Policies1337 Words   |  6 PagesLiberalism Thomas Hobbes, John Locke and Jean Jacques Rousseau’s political philosophies and theories each differ from one another’s, but these three philosophers have all staked their claims as to what man would be like, prior to the formation of the state. This is the State of Nature. Their notions on the social contract reflect their position on the political spectrum. These three philosophers also examine the purpose and function of the government to individuals of the state. Modern liberalism isRead MoreJohn Locke: Founding Father of Modern Era Liberalism1444 Words   |  6 PagesThomas Hobbes, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and John Locke are all great thinkers who were greatly influential in forming philosophies that would affect the future of politics. By analyzing each philosopher’s ideology, we can identify which thinker’s theory reflected modern era liberalism the most. For this paper I will be arguing that, John Locke provides a more compelling framework of modern era liberalism because of his perception of the state of nature, the social contract and the function of governmentRead MoreLocke And Rousseau s Theory Of A Social Contract1206 Words   |  5 PagesJohn Locke and Jean Jacques Rousseau are often associated with modern liberal ideas such as equality for all citizens, freedom and liberty, etc†¦ However, Locke and Rousseau present far more nuanced arguments in their works and although they share views on some aspects they ultima tely have a different political philosophy. Locke and Rousseau have clearly distinct social contract theories, interpretations of man and the state of nature. In his work, Discourse on Inequality, establishes the idea ofRead MoreThe Writings Of John Locke And Jean Jacques Rousseau1596 Words   |  7 Pageswritings of John Locke and Jean Jacques Rousseau have had a significant impact on the controversy of what constitutes legitimate political power. They both believe in man’s natural mortality, and they also state that creating a social contract and legitimate government is necessary to avoid conflict. Both philosophers hold different perspectives and opinions, however they are both concerned with the same question: What renders exercises of a political power legitimate? Rousseau and Locke have severalRead MoreJohn Locke vs Jean-Jacques Rousseau.1663 Words   |  7 PagesJohn Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau are great political philosophers that have many similar insights abo ut society and its political form. However, when closely examining the writings of these thinkers, one can easily discover many subtle differences among them. The two philosophers base their theories on different assumptions, which subsequently lead to dissimilar ideas about the origin of society and the constitution of governments. As a result, their views of the development of society greatlyRead MoreJohn Locke s Theory Of Theory And Social Discourse1253 Words   |  6 PagesIn 1690, John Locke, an Englishman, wrote his Second Treatise on Government which argued for a government featuring a societal sovereign that protected property. A half century later, Jean Jacques Rousseau published Discourse on Inequality, a piece that explored the proprietary origin and distribution of equality while subtly critiquing John Locke’s theories. By the time Karl Marx began to explore bourgeois society and its shortcomings, Rousseau was an established Locke critique who Marx’s On th eRead MoreRousseau ´s Solution to  ¨The Fundamental Problem ¨1178 Words   |  5 Pages The opening line of Jean-Jacques Rousseaus influential work The Social Contract (1762), is man is born free, and he is everywhere in chains. Those who think themselves masters of others are indeed greater slaves than they. These are not physical chains, but psychological and means that all men are constraints of the laws they are subjected to, and that they are forced into a false liberty, irrespective of class. This goes against Rousseaus theory of general will which is at the heartRead MoreConceptions of the Social Contract Theory924 Words   |  4 PagesThomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean Jacques Rousseau were political philosophers who formulated their own version of the social contract theory. The social contract theory is a treaty or an agreement that developed a set of laws, organized a functional society, and created the need to be governed. It was put into place when man realized that there was no law. Mankind eventually sought the desire for security and order. To rece ive security and order people shall voluntarily give up all their rightsRead MoreAnalysis Of Jean Jacques Rousseau s Perfect Freedom Essay1234 Words   |  5 PagesFor Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s claim to be deliberated as true (or at least mostly true), it would require that the essence of the claim is subjectively challenged. First, it would demand that an analysis, substantiated with empiricism, could validate how the family unit is the impetus to dependency and vanity. Secondly, it would appeal for evidence of how dependency and vanity ultimately leads to exploiting the violent and evil tendencies of humanity. Finally, it must be able to provide a link, demonstrated