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Hobbes Vs Rousseau State Of Nature Essay

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The nature of man and the state of nature have varied and contrast immensely throughout different societies. Locke, Hobbes, and Rousseau’s ideas about the state of man clash in the form of politics and social contracts. Locke’s view involves the power residing within the people, and the government is there to protect their property, life, and liberty. Hobbes’ ideas are in favor of a monarchy in order to keep the citizens secure and free from harm. Rousseau’s ideas on the politics shares a collective will amongst the population. The majority is always right. All of these conflicting political proposals spark from the “state of man” and the “state of nature”. After the glorious revolution, Locke wrote the Second Treatise on Civil Government, which was groundbreaking for its time. The premise of Locke’s idea was that the power derived in the people. It established that the government’s main job was to “be employed for their good and the preservation of their property (Locke 1689).” It was also there to protect the …show more content…
His ideology states that, “It is God who gives you (the king) the power. (Bousett 1709)”. All of the power is given to the king because Bousett believes the people need to be guided. The king is all powerful and holy, and it is their responsibility to guide the people to salvation. The people have absolutely no power. If the people try to rebel against the king, like in Locke and Hobbes’ documents, the people would be seen as challenging God, and will be put to death. Overall, Bousett’s religious fundamentalist views affected his outlook on politics. The state of man is the concept used to determine political philosophies and social contract theories, such as the Commonwealth. Each philosopher’s opinions on this state of man ranged from the people having power, much like America today, to the people having no power at all, being guided by a king like

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