Compare And Contrast Hobbes And Locke And Social Contract

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Recommended: Similarities between Hobbes & Locke political philosophy

Hobbes and Locke’s ideas and notions of the social and political contracts, as well as natural rights and order.
Social contract:
-what is it in each view?
-what rights are lost/received?
-why does each believe a contract should be formed?
-Who is involved in the contract?
-how does the contract change human society?
-how does it shift from a state of nature to a contract?
Natural rights:
-what are the natural rights in each view?
-who benefits from the natural rights?
-is there a reason to form a contract with the rights?
-are the rights similar in any way?
-how do they function in a social society?
Hobbes and Locke on the Social Contract and the Concept of Natural Rights.
Although Thomas Hobbes and John Locke are both social contract/natural own life brings about one of the most fundamental of Hobbes’ laws, and the reason for which he thinks that contracts must be formed: the law of self preservation. The simplest and easiest way for man to maintain his own life, is to abolish the state of perpetual war, and instead search for peace . The idea of peace is one of a society with one ruler, whose power
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overwhelms and awes all of the subjects of the society - his power prevents the regular citizens from using their own natural power against each other, as his power to punish trumps all. This common power, or ruler, is transferred the rights of all the citizens in the society, and is trusted with its safety, peace and prosperity .
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Hobbes’ view of human nature comes off as very pessimistic, and his need for contract is out of a natural distrust for others. Locke on the other hand has a more liberal view of the state of nature, though he does tie into Hobbes’ ideas of contract in a similar manner. Human nature, and the state of nature, as viewed by Locke, is very liberal in comparison to Hobbes’ view. Locke sees the state of nature as a state of perfect freedom and perfect equality, within the bounds of the law of nature . The law of nature, as viewed by
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Locke does not state that this method is perfect, as “monarchs are but men” , but it
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appears to be the best method of resolving and regulating justice in conflicts in the population. Judging by the states of nature I have outlined it may be tempting to come to the conclusion that Hobbes and Locke share nearly polar opposite views on the subject, though
I would argue that is incorrect. Locke’s view on the state of nature is definitely more liberal, given that he believes humans hold a natural empathy towards others, though this again brings up the idea of preservation. Hobbes’ need for peace from the social contract can be related to Locke’s, as Locke implies that humans will naturally try to undermine others for their own gain, though instead of outright overpowerment of people, through a skewed
“justice system”. Locke goes one step further about the war on “property” (Hobbes says all men fight for common desires, which two men cannot share ), saying that men, will try to
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steal and undermine others instead of simply killing and fighting, implying a (possibly lower) sense of distrust between people.
Onto

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