Hobbes vs Locke 1 Hobbes vs Locke Divine

Hobbes vs. Locke 1

Hobbes vs. Locke: Divine right of kings? HOBBES No. LOCKE No. 2

Hobbes vs. Locke: View of human nature? HOBBES People are selfish. LOCKE People are rational – and can see the inherent value in each other. 3

Hobbes vs. Locke: State of nature? HOBBES War of all against all. Life is “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short. ” LOCKE State of liberty, not of license. State of perfect equality and freedom but “full of fears and continual dangers. ” 4

Hobbes vs. Locke: Do people naturally know the difference between right and wrong? HOBBES No. (No difference in state of nature. ) LOCKE Yes. (Through reason and experience. ) (Note: tabla rasa theory) 5

Hobbes vs. Locke: Worst case scenario? HOBBES State of nature. LOCKE Absolute monarchy. 6

Hobbes vs. Locke: Best case scenario? HOBBES Absolute monarchy. LOCKE Political society. 7

Hobbes vs. Locke: What is the main reason to leave the state of nature? HOBBES LOCKE For safety and security, because For more organized society, life in state of nature is violent. because in state of nature, people’s personal biases and passions will result in less orderly administration of law and punishment. 8

Hobbes vs. Locke: What are our natural rights? HOBBES Right to self-preservation only. LOCKE Right to life – which creates positive and negative duties. • Positive duty: you also have to help others (because everyone is equal). • Negative duty: other people can’t kill you. Also natural rights to liberty and property, which come from right to life (not to interfere). 9

Hobbes vs. Locke: Natural laws? HOBBES First Fundamental Law: to seek peace. Second Fundamental Law: to contract for peace. Third Fundamental Law: to seek justice (i. e. , keep promises). LOCKE To preserve oneself (don’t harm yourself). This also encompasses the obligation not to harm anyone else. 10

Hobbes vs. Locke: Basis of natural laws? HOBBES Philosophical. LOCKE Philosophical and religious. 11

Hobbes vs. Locke: Are people equal? HOBBES Yes. LOCKE Yes. 12

Hobbes vs. Locke: How are people equal? HOBBES In their instrumental capacity (to do work). LOCKE In their inherent value (as people with equal capacities to reason). 13

Hobbes vs. Locke: Why should we have government? HOBBES LOCKE To protect us (from each other). To protect our natural rights. 14

Hobbes vs. Locke: Do we need or want government? HOBBES Need it (desperately). LOCKE Want it (strongly). 15

Hobbes vs. Locke: From what does government initially get its authority? HOBBES Consent of the people. (This is a revolutionary idea!) LOCKE Consent of the people. (Locke got this from Hobbes. ) 16

Hobbes vs. Locke: How is government established by the people? HOBBES By agreement with each other (but not with the sovereign – the sovereign is not a party to the agreement). LOCKE Two steps: First, consenting to be a member of a unified society. Second, consenting to a specific form of government. 17

Hobbes vs. Locke: Once established, where does government’s authority lie? HOBBES The sovereign. Total transfer – irrevocable. People retain all rights not transferred (but the rights retained only consist of the right to self-defense and what it entails). LOCKE The people. Limited or conditional transfer. Power of government never extends farther than the common good of securing people’s lives, liberty, and property. 18

Hobbes vs. Locke: Who has the authority to punish wrongdoers (in state of nature & in govt. )? HOBBES In state of nature: There is no right or wrong, so there are no wrongdoers, and no such thing as punishment. Under government: The sovereign. LOCKE In state of nature: Everyone has the right to punish someone who breaks the natural law. Under government: the people transfer that authority to the state. 19

Hobbes vs. Locke: Are the powers of government unified or separated? HOBBES Unified. Any separation breeds conflict and can lead to civil war. LOCKE Separated. Legislative, Judicial, Executive. 20

Hobbes vs. Locke: Can a government rule by decree? HOBBES Yes. In fact, that’s the only way government can and should rule. LOCKE No. Any legislative action must be done within the bounds of the law. 21

Hobbes vs. Locke: Is the sovereign / head of government subject to the law? HOBBES No. LOCKE Yes. 22

Hobbes vs. Locke: Can government be limited? HOBBES No. Once established it is absolute, and forever. LOCKE Yes. It is limited by its very nature. 23

Hobbes vs. Locke: How can government be limited? HOBBES (It can’t be limited. ) LOCKE Three ways: 1. Natural rights. 2. Rule of Law. 3. Property. 24

Hobbes vs. Locke: Can government be illegitimate? HOBBES No. LOCKE Yes. 25

Hobbes vs. Locke: When can government be illegitimate? HOBBES (It can’t be illegitimate. ) LOCKE When it fails to protect citizens’ natural rights. 26

Hobbes vs. Locke: Can government be overthrown? HOBBES No. But people always retain the right to resist if it tries to kill you because that violates fundamental right to selfpreservation. LOCKE Yes. Whenever it is not fulfilling its purpose of protecting people’s natural rights to life, liberty, and property. 27