LOCKE VS HOBBES –

ON THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT

John Locke Thomas Hobbes
1632 - 1704 1588 – 1678
England England
 LOCKE VS HOBBES

B
Two Treatises on O Leviathan (1651)
Government O
(1690)
K
 LOCKE VS HOBBES

M
O
T
The Glorious Revolution Depressed about the
(bloodless)
I beheading of Charles I in the
A positive version of Hobbes
V English Civil War (1649)

Wrote to justify the Glorious

A He speculated about the
nature of government and
Revolution T man
Justify removal of James II I
O
N
 LOCKE VS HOBBES
H
U
M
A
N Selfish –
With a “clean slate” S
Free and equal with 3 Humans are motivated by
natural rights: (from God) self- interest and the
A quest for power
Life, Liberty, Property R Natural law is kill or be
(influences Jefferson) E killed

B
O
R
 LOCKE VS HOBBES
F
A
M
O
“All mankind... being all U “Without government, life
equal and independent, S would be solitary, poor,
no one ought to harm nasty, brutish, and short.”
another in his life,
Q
health, liberty or U
possessions.” O
T
E
 LOCKE VS HOBBES
R
O
L
Government exists by E Humans need an absolute
consent of the governed monarchy to keep order
People agree to be
O
governed if government F
protects 3 natural rights
People can break the G
contract (revolt) if gov’t O
violates rights.
V
T