Hobbes And John Locke Comparison Essay

Thomas Hobbes and John Locke grew up around the same time, so naturally they must have many similarities, but the environment they grew up in resulted in many differences as well. Hobbes grew up during the English Civil War, which shaped his ideas while Locke lived through the Revolution of 1688 which was when a king was overthrown for being unjust and that helped form his ideas. Hobbes and Locke both said that the state of nature is bad and some order is always needed. The difference between their beliefs is the type of government that should be in place to maintain order that is needed to manage stable lives.

Thomas Hobbes and John Locke had some similarities in their beliefs about human nature. They both claimed that humans would always be willing to give up some of their freedom or rights to have security and feel safe. When John Locke says “The enjoyment of rights in the state of nature is unsafe and insecure. Hence, each man joins in society with others to preserve life, liberty, and property.” it is showing that he thinks the state of nature is unsafe, so people give

up their rights to have a feeling of security. Thomas Hobbes says the exact same thing in the Leviathan where he states “The only way to erect a Common Power, as may be able to defend them from the invasion of [foreigners] and the injuries of one another, and thereby to secure them in such sort, as that by their own industry, and by the fruits of the Earth, they may nourish themselves and live contentedly is, to confer all their power and strength upon one Man, or upon one Assembly of men, that may reduce all their Wills, by plurality of voices, unto one Will . . . and therein to submit their Wills, every one to his Will, and their judgments, to his judgment.”People will listen to someone that knows what they are doing and is powerful enough to keep them safe so that they do not need to do it themselves because relying on somebody else is much more simple. On the same topic of human nature, they differ as well. Locke believes that people should have some say in the government because they know what needs to be done to improve their lives. However, Hobbes believes that people are ignorant and that if they are unintelligent, then they should not have a say in how their government works. Locke’s views are much more accepted in today’s world because of the big role that democracy plays around the globe unlike back in the 1600’s.
John Locke believed that people should have a say in their government and that they should have the right to revolt against any government officials that were corrupt or not running the government well. On the other hand Thomas Hobbes favored the absolute monarchy form of government, which is where the monarch has complete control over any decisions that happen. Locke said that the separation of powers was necessary for a government to function properly, which is the complete opposite of Hobbes. The separation of powers is necessary so no one group or individual has more power than the rest and this allows for decisions to be for the greater good instead of for a few people. Both men do agree that all power in government truly comes from the people, even in a monarchy. If a king has no subjects to collect taxes from then he can’t afford to do anything and there are no workers for farms so there is no food and the entire government collapses leaving a completely normal man that just happens to own a crown.
Thomas Hobbes and John Locke both had inputs on the idea of social contract but they were extremely different.

Locke stated that people give up rights in return for benefits and the right to life, liberty, and protection of property. However Hobbes was more harsh and said that as long as you mind your own business and don’t get in the way then you won’t be harmed. John Locke’s beliefs are more apparent in today’s world because of the role of democracy in America and our lives, freedom, and property are not being threatened unless you aren’t fulfilling your role in society. The ideas of Thomas Hobbes show in a government such as a monarchy or a dictatorship which aren’t accepted in modern times. People want to feel safe and when you can’t completely control whether or not you or your possessions are harmed citizens will revolt and change to a different more stable government that works for

them.
Thomas Hobbes and John Locke share many of the same ideas, regardless they have some colossal differences in addition. Most of Thomas Hobbes’s beliefs relate to a form of government with one lead figure such as a monarchy or a dictatorship in contrast to John Locke’s beliefs that relate to democracy and most definitely influenced Western culture of today. If it weren’t for Hobbes and Locke democracy may never have been applied anywhere because the concepts of it might never have been thought of and people would have just kept to their old ways with a monarchy. The world could be a completely different and discriminatory around the globe.