Similarities Between John Locke And Thomas Hobbes

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Two of the most famous Philosophes of the Enlightenment period are John Locke and Thomas Hobbes. Both of these men greatly contributed to the revolution that occured in Western Europe during the early to mid 17th century. The ideas of these two men, and many other men, developed many of the laws and social concepts that we know today. The Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence are two important documents that were created using the ideologies of these men. Hobbes and Locke’s view on political ideology did not perfectly align. Thomas Hobbes believed in Social Contract, an idea that Locke eventually embraced as did the Founding Fathers. However, there were many ideas the two great philosophes collided upon, including: control over the people, rights of citizens, and the overall purpose for the existence of a government. Thomas Hobbes and John Locke did not agree on many positions regarding government and the rights of people. One major position they disagreed on was the type of ruler a country or group of people needed to be successful. …show more content…

Locke coined these terms ‘Natural Rights’ and said they were the right to life, liberty and prosperity. These idea of these rights directly influenced one of the most important documents in history, the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration of Independence reads, “All men are created equal that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”, demonstrating the direct influence of John Locke on one of the most important documents in history. Hobbes’ view contrasted with Locke because Hobbes was a literal believer of the Social Contract in all areas of life. Hobbes believed one needed to surrender all rights to a monarch in order for that monarch to provide structure and protection in their

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