No morality exists. Everyone lives in constant fear. No one is really free.
But men are equal because even the weakest could kill the strongest.
Perfect freedom.
People can do whatever they want.
Not necessarily good or bad, but it is chaotic.
So, people give up their freedoms to gain the benefits of a civilized society.
Free and equal.
Human beings are Noble Savages.
Civilization is what corrupts humanity.
Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau HOBBES LOCKE ROUSSEAU W h a t
i s
t h e
S t a t e
o f
N a t u r e ?
A state of war. Of every man against every man.
No morality exists. Everyone lives in constant fear. No one is really free.
But men are equal because even the weakest could kill the strongest.
Perfect freedom.
People can do whatever they want.
Not necessarily good or bad, but it is chaotic.
So, people give up their freedoms to gain the benefits of a civilized society.
Free and equal.
Human beings are Noble Savages.
Civilization is what corrupts humanity.
Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau HOBBES LOCKE ROUSSEAU H u m a n
N a t u r e :
People inherently evil & need to be protected from themselves
People are inherently good but get corrupted by society
Life is purest in nature & civilized man is corrupted & unequal
R i g h t s
o f
a n
i n d i v i d u a l
A persons rights go only as far as necessary for survival
Everyone is born equal with the natural rights to life, liberty & property
In nature, individual needs are met by the group & thus noble & perfect.
Civilization corrupts natural law.
Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau HOBBES LOCKE ROUSSEAU P u r p o s e
o f
G o v e r n m e n t
To impose law & order to prevent the state of war.
To secure Natural Rights, namely mans property & liberty.
To bring people into harmony. To unite them under the General Will. R e p r e s e n t a t i o n
Governments are designed to control the people, not necessarily to represent them.
Representation ensures that governments are responsive to the people.
Representation is a safeguard against oppression. Representation is not enough. Citizens cannot delegate their civic duties. They must be actively involved.
To enact the General Will, more direct democracy is needed. Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau HOBBES LOCKE ROUSSEAU D e s i g n
o f
G o v e r n m e n t
Government must be designed to protect the people from themselves.
Government must be designed to protect the people from the government itself. Natural Rights must be secured.
Governments must be responsive & aligned with the General Will. People make a nation, not institutions. Individual wills are subordinate to the (collective) General Will. B e s t
T y p e
o f
G o v e r n m e n t
Absolute Monarchy Any representative government: Republic, Democracy, or Constitutional Monarchy (limited not Absolute)
Totalitarian republic with complete consensus reflecting the General Will