John Locke And Jean-Jacques Rousseau

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Recommended: Philosopher John Locke compared to Jean Rousseau

Alexandra Semenova
Professor Christopher Rominger
Brooklyn College
Shaping of the Modern World
21 September 2014

The Divergent Views of John Locke and
Jean-Jacques Rousseau on the State of Human Nature

The multifarious interpretations of human character have acted as the primary foundations for political ideologies throughout the course of history. Western philosophy has heavily examined the dichotomy of institutional and individual behavior in an effort to provide a better understanding of human nature. The inquiries drawn forth by these philosophical studies were particularly prominent during the Age of Enlightenment, which bred the important revolutionary thinkers John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Although the ideas of Locke and …show more content…

Rousseau states that “the force and the liberty of each man are the chief instruments of his preservation,” and asks, “how can he engage them elsewhere without danger to himself, and without neglecting the care which is due himself? (Rousseau, 77)” With this question he implies the idea that society destroys a man's individual virtue because he devotes it to society and thus, neglects his individual state of nature. Rousseau advocated against social collectivism: according to his ideas, morality is absent in societal construct and is rather an intrinsic outgrowth from empathy for the suffering of a fellow man. However, this morality ceases to exist when man “freely submits himself to the collective. …show more content…

His work, too, was extremely influential during the time period and had a significant impact on the Glorious Revolution, attempting to eliminate absolutism and advocate natural law. Locke famously advocated for the natural rights of man, which include life, liberty, and property. His epistemology formed the basis for the principles in American law which justified the continuous revolutions of the era. Locke's work The Second Treatise of Government states “law teaches all mankind who will but consult it at that, being all equal and independent, no one ought to harm one another in his life, health, liberty, or posessions; for men being all the workmanship of one omnipotent and infinitely wise Maker. (Locke, 35)” Locke asserted that God is the only one who has the power to act as a sovereign master and no one can take away the natural rights of

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