Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, And Jean-Jacques Rousseau All

Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau all represent social contract theorists who were influenced by liberalism and the enlightenment respectively. They each offer varying takes and critiques of what exactly is the state of nature and from those discussions of the state of nature, they delve into what the state of government would be if it was born from that same state of nature. Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau can each be compared and contrasted with one another based upon their own definition of the state of nature and how that state of nature leads to their own states of government. For Hobbes, his state of nature was a state of war. (Morgan, 619) Hobbes talks about the state of nature as being a time when, â€Å"†¦every man is†¦show more content†¦This government is created by a social contract which is between individuals. Rousseau saw the state of nature as a place where men are free and equal. (Morgan, 838) Rousseau saw that all current problems wrong with society are the mistakes of society and that none of the current problems were in the state of nature. (Morgan, 839) Men in the state of nature are good and pure while in civil society, competition forces men to be wicked and go against nature. Civil society was first founded by the person who convinced other people that his claim to property was the correct one. (Morgan, 851) For Rousseau, sovereignty and government was based on the interests of society. (Morgan, 891) The general will, for Rousseau, was what people should be following and the general will is always right and it leads to public utility. (Morgan, 892) As one can see from the above explanations of Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau’s thinking, there are many similarities and differences between all three theorists. Locke and Rousseau’s definitions of the state of nature contrast with that of Hobbes. Locke and Rousseau both viewed the state of nature as place where men were free and not be bound by society because there was no society to speak of in this state of nature. Hobbes’ definition of the state of nature is a state of war where individuals do not have time or the energy to invest themselves in the collection ofShow MoreRelatedModern Liberalism and Political Policies1337 Words   |  6 PagesModern Liberalism Thomas Hobbes, John Locke and Jean Jacques Rousseau’s political philosophies and theories each differ from one another’s, but these three philosophers have all staked their claims as to what man would be like, prior to the formation of the state. This is the State of Nature. Their notions on the social contract reflect their position on the political spectrum. These three philosophers also examine the purpose and function of the government to individuals of the state. 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