Is Government Interference Right?

571 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Hobbes belief on human nature without government

Should government have the right to interfere in our private lives? Does being part of a representative democracy mean that we abdicate our freedom to make our own choices in the name of the good of all?

Should the government have the right to interfere in our private lives? Democracy guarantees freedom. One might then argue that a government should allow people to act according to their own free will. But there are two sides to every coin. Absolute independence might not lead to anything productive in an interdependent society as ours. There needs to be a basic framework of rules and guidelines to which all participants in that society agree to.

According to Hobbes, human nature is such that if there were no rules or a law enforcing institution in the government, it would be a war of every man against every man1. The government regulates the activities of individuals in a manner such that the freedom guaranteed by democracy to everybody is not infringed upon by the selfish acts of few.

Apart from the protection of these basic rights of people, I feel that government interference in our private live is not acceptable. Systems such as welfare and progressive taxes do not seem quite right. The government should definitely work towards the increase in the standard of living of the whole nation but it should not be by snatching well-earned money from the rich in the form of progressive taxes just because they have some extra money whereas some others are not so fortunate enou...

Show More
Related

  • The Influence of Locke and Hobbes on Government

    1741 Words  | 4 Pages

    Thomas Hobbes and John Locke have authored two works that have had a significant impact on political philosophy. In the “Leviathan” by Hobbes and “Two Treatises of Government” by Locke, the primary focus was to analyze human nature to determine the most suitable type of government for humankind. They will have confounding results. Hobbes concluded that an unlimited sovereign is the only option, and would offer the most for the people, while for Locke such an idea was without merit. He believed that the government should be limited, ruling under the law, with divided powers, and with continued support from its citizens. With this paper I will argue that Locke had a more realistic approach to identifying the human characteristics that organize people into societies, and is effective in persuading us that a limited government is the best government.

    Read More

  • Where Men Win Glory, by Jon Krakauer

    1088 Words  | 3 Pages

    War is the means to many ends. The ends of ruthless dictators, of land disputes, and lives – each play its part in the reasoning for war. War is controllable. It can be avoided; however, once it begins, the bat...

    Read More

  • An Analysis Of Barre Toelken's Seeing With A Native Eye

    949 Words  | 2 Pages

    He makes a point of how American’s place an extreme emphasis on “lineal order”, we take pride in “lining things up, getting thing in line… We have it all neatly separated and categorized” (16). This statement is absolutely true, if we look about our society, the city we live in, the design of our houses, the way desks are arranged in a school, everything is in straight, orderly lines. In contrast, in Native American communities “the reverse is true… instead of separating into categories of the sort, family groups sit in circles, meeting are in circles” (17). These are examples of how the Native American culture places great value on coming together and including people in their traditions. In Toelken opinion, these differences in spatial systems also affect our relationships with

    Read More

  • Government Control of the Female Body

    1893 Words  | 4 Pages

    Perhaps the most discrete manner in which government intervenes in women's reproductive rights is through family planning. Several governments have spent billions of dollars annually to implement family planning programs. Family planning includes sex, contraceptive, and parenting education. Although many family planning programs are viewed as a method of education, some governments have used the programs as a means of controlling the bodies of women and their nation's population.

    Read More

  • Human Nature as Viewed by Thomas Hobbes and David Hume

    1952 Words  | 4 Pages

    Hobbes views human nature as the war of each man against each man. For Hobbes, the essence of human nature can be found when we consider how man acts apart from any government or order. Hobbes describes the world as “a time of war, where every man is enemy to every man.” (Hobbes mp. 186) In such a world, there are “no arts; no letters; no society; and which is worst of all, continual fear, and danger of violent death; and the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.” (Hobbes mp. 186) Hobbes believes that laws are what regulate us from acting in the same way now. He evidences that our nature is this way by citing that we continue to lock our doors for fear of theft or harm. Hobbes gives a good argument which is in line with what we know of survivalism, and evidences his claim well. Hobbes claims that man is never happy in having company, unless that company is utterly dominated. He says, “men have no pleasure, (but on the contrary a great dea...

    Read More

  • Socrates And Pericles Views On Athenian Democracy

    609 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the 4th and 5th century BCE, Athens’ government was developing and becoming just. Citizens, specifically males, had the right to participate in politics and had freedom of speech. They were becoming a democracy. Plato’s Apology of Socrates and Funeral Oration of Pericles shows us the different views both Socrates and Pericles had on Athenian democracy. Socrates and Pericles views of Athenian democracy are on opposite ends of each other. Socrates describes Athenian democracy as being unjust and unwise, however, Pericles describes it as having equal justice.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On Abortion

    884 Words  | 2 Pages

    .... The decision of raising a child should be left to the hands of the women not the government therefore why let the government decide what we are able to do and not do?

    Read More

  • Plato's Republic

    1085 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Plato’s Republic , Socrates states how a democracy could deteriorate and fall into lower regime. There are many characteristics when it comes to the kind of people that occupy a democratic regime. Although there are many downfalls, there are certain ways that a democracy and other regimes could be saved.

    Read More

  • Thomas Hobbes' Leviathan and John Locke's Second Treatise of Government

    3013 Words  | 7 Pages

    Hobbes’ Leviathan and Locke’s Second Treatise of Government comprise critical works in the lexicon of political science theory. Both works expound on the origins and purpose of civil society and government. Hobbes’ and Locke’s writings center on the definition of the “state of nature” and the best means by which a society develops a systemic format from this beginning. The authors hold opposing views as to how man fits into the state of nature and the means by which a government should be formed and what type of government constitutes the best. This difference arises from different conceptions about human nature and “the state of nature”, a condition in which the human race finds itself prior to uniting into civil society. Hobbes’ Leviathan goes on to propose a system of power that rests with an absolute or omnipotent sovereign, while Locke, in his Treatise, provides for a government responsible to its citizenry with limitations on the ruler’s powers.

    Read More

  • Carl von Clausewitz as the Father of Modern Military Strategy

    1443 Words  | 3 Pages

    In modern military theory, the highest level is the strategic level, in which activities at the strategic level focus directly on policy objectives, both during peace and warfare. In the study of modern military strategy, there is a distinction between military strategy and national strategy, in which the former is the use of military objective to secure political objectives and the latter coordinates and concentrates all the elements of national...

    Read More

  • Abortion: Women Need a Choice

    352 Words  | 1 Pages

    I believe that the government should not be able to control what a woman does with her body. By granting women the right to choose, this does not permit her to kill, but to decide what is best for all persons involved. There are many situations that show that abortion may be the best for the parents and the unborn child. Situations such as rape or incest prove that it is not the woman’s fault and not fair to the mother or the unborn child to pay for it. There are other situations such as if the mother carries a disease the can be passed on, or if the parents are unfit to raise a family at the time. Any case however, should be between the people involved and not the government.

    Read More

  • Comparing Thomas Hobbes and Niccolo Machiavelli

    2258 Words  | 5 Pages

    Thomas Hobbes? idea of a perfect government was one of small proportions. All of the citizens of a country had a ?covenant?, or promise with the ruler. This covenant with the ruler stated that the citizen would give up the right to govern his or herself, and give that right to the ruler. Hobbes? idea of society arises from an innate competition between every man. Everyone seeks their advantage, and is always at war with everyone else for that advantage. These factions negotiate, according to Hobbes, complying with whatever principles will ensure survival for its members. So according to Hobbes, war is the natural state of man. Peace is only had by our natural tendencies to compromise, and survive.

    Read More

  • Hobbes' View of Human Nature and his Vision of Government

    446 Words  | 1 Pages

    Hobbes view of human nature lead him to develop his vision of an ideal government.  He believed that a common power was required to keep men united.  This power would work to maintain the artificial harmony among the people as well as protect them from foreign enemies.

    Read More

  • Have School Uniforms Taken Away?

    1066 Words  | 3 Pages

    As the years go by numerous public schools are starting to drift into more of a private school concept. From the way that they run programs at public schools, to the way that have their students wear school uniforms. Many will argue that having students wear uniforms take away some of their rights and restrict students from freedom of expression; But when it comes down to it, is their freedom of expression really being taken away? Or are parents and students just over reacting because they aren’t getting what they want? I believe that everyone is entitled to have their own opinion on every subject; but I also believe that there are some subjects that everyone needs to look at from different perspectives. There are so many different

    Read More

  • Military War: Cause and Effect

    540 Words  | 2 Pages

    All living things need the resources provided by our natural world to live, leading to them adapting to specific environments. Animals in particular are mobile creatures that move from place to place searching for the best environments for their survival. The most intelligent creatures in our animal world are human beings and like other animals, they moved from place to place while organized into races in search of the elusive desirable environments. However, there is always the likelihood of finding fellow humanity already thriving in that environment. This resulted to conflict as competition for the inadequate resources arose. Consequently, human beings formed nations, allegiance to the national system meant loyalty to the governance, and regions and they formed military groups to defend their resources. However, the military warfare has changed with international understanding, though the idea still rests heavily on fight for resources. Further, international politics illustrates the causes and effects of modern military war have changed due to chan...

    Read More

More about Is Government Interference Right?

Open Document