Why We Have Government.
Thomas Hobbes
· Born in London in 1588
· Attended Oxford University
· In 1651 Hobbes wrote the book “Leviathan " that outlined the fact that people were naturally wicked and could not be trusted to govern
· Hobbs believed in monarchy- a government that gave total power to a king or queen- was the best for people
· Hobbs believed that when people were awarded power they would act on selfish impulses and try to better there lives
· In Thomas’s opinion governments were created to protect people from their own selfishness and evil ( things that could arise in a democratic government)
· Despite Hobbes dislike of democracy, he believed that a diverse group of people that stood as representatives for the common person would prevent the king or queen from being unfair and cruel
John Locke
· Born in 1632
· Attended Oxford University
· Wrote an essay titled “ Concerning Human Understanding” that outlined the limits of human understanding
· Locke also wrote “ Two Treatises of Civil Government” which were both published after the of revolution of 1688
· Locke used these novels to give us the theory’s of natural law and natural rights, which he uses to distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate civil governments
· Locke discussed many topics in his writings including toleration for religions
· In a “Letter Concerning Toleration” Locke argues for the separation between church and state
Social Contract
· “The Social Contract” by Jean Jacques Rousseau is the book in which the best ways of setting up a political community are outlined
· This contract helped to inspire political reforms or revolutions in Europe, mainly France
· It argued that monarchs were divinely empowered to legislate, which Rousseau asserted that only the people in the form of sovereign have that all powerful right
· The form of government being proposed by Rousseau is often dismissed as highly impractical
State of Nature
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