Hobbes Vs Locke Essay

Locke had a theory of natural law and natural right; he believed that a rational purpose to government did exist. Defending the government as an institution, Locke insisted that not only did a good government care for the well-being of its public and have a basis for enforcing obligations on the citizens of its country; but, also, that a government was necessary for public welfare. Locke maintained that all human beings were equal and free to enjoy their inalienable right of pursuing life, health, liberty, and possessions.

To Locke, natural justice would always exist, whether a government did or not, it was just his belief that a government might better guard natural justice. Locke also defended the concept of popular sovereignty and the idea that rebellion is acceptable when the government stops protecting the natural rights that it was originally established to protect. So, Locke’s idea of an effective government was one that would maintain order among the people and provide protection and resolution when ones natural rights were broken.

The exact opposite of Locke’s theory was Hobbes’, whose stated that if people had a choice between living under a government or living without one, they would choose the state with a government. According to Hobbes, this is because an individual is better off in a state where only the government can legally exercise aggression; which then allows the individual to focus on serving his and his family’s wants, and to satisfy the needs of the state that would allow it to maintain a good government.

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So, it was Hobbes’ view that it was unnatural for man to put himself under the control of others – to have a government- but that it was rational to do so. Hobbes preferred monarchy mainly because he believed there should be only one supreme source of authority. He could tolerate parliament alone, but not a system in which government power is shared. This is the exact antithesis to the views of Locke. So, Hobbes’ thesis, although it was opposite from Locke’s, had the same ideas of maintaining order and providing protection and resolution when the rights of the people were threatened.