Views of Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau - 815 Words

Arden Bentley AP Euro 3/9/13 Thomas Hobbes, John Locke and Jean-Racques Rosseau were philosophers who stated their belief of human nature and how we should govern mankind. Although Rousseau was born a different time than Hobbes and Locke, they all had a very strong influence on the way governments should function. They created a revolutionary idea of the state of nature, the way men were before a government came into play. Each philosopher developed guidelines and responsibilities that the government is obliged to. Although proposing different views and ideas, they all contributed significant ideas to society. Thomas Hobbes, Jock Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau all differed on their views of government. Thomas Hobbes described the†¦show more content†¦The state is there to enact the General Will. Society embarked on with the state of nature. The English Civil War was influential to Hobbes and Locke. It made Locke object violence. Hobbes believed that to put an end to the war, an absolute monarchy must b e established. Rousseau was influenced by emotion and not reason. This was the origin of Romanticism. The three philosophers vision of the state of nature was contrasting in terms of things like property and freedom. Hobbes believed that man was essentially evil, bad and corrupt. His view of depravity of human nature was influenced by the English Revolution. He believed that humans would constantly fight if left alone, especially over property which was a limited source that was competed for. Thomas Hobbes essentially believed that humans were not good and order was established by depriving humans of their rights and freedom. According to Hobbes, state of nature was state of war. John Locke believed people were born with a blank slate or mind and their surroundings and environment made them good or evil. Like Rousseau, Locke believes that people are equal, not in ability but in rights. People are born entitled to natural rights, life liberty and property. He stated, Man is born fr ee, and everywhere is in chains† was said by Rousseau. He also thought that men were born free and are good and that it is society that is corrupt. In order to accomplish this objective, society must eliminate all titles. HisShow MoreRelatedEssay on The Natural Ways of Locke, Hobbes, and Rousseau1207 Words   |  5 Pagesthe rise of capitalism, social structure is reformed; it is during this rise in the early seventeenth and eighteenth century, that John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau introduce their varying opinions surrounding man in nature. The western philosophers mainly concern themselves with the concept of the social contract. Rousseau, Hobbes, and Locke begin with the conception of the individual, because in the natural state, they all believe that man is an independent character. 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