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Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau: Comparing Political Philosophies

Posted on Feb 10, 2025 in Philosophy and ethics

Hobbes

STATE OF NATURE	Aggressive individuals. Natural Rights: everything, even property. War of all against all. Man is selfish, wanting to meet their needs and have more power. There is no law that governs self-interest. This interest leads him on one side to live in society, as this can leave the state of war and live more secure and comfortable. But on the other hand, he is afraid of others, so a contract is necessary.
SOCIAL CONTRACT	Between: Individuals (in favor of its ruling). Assumes: All Rights Waiver. To: peace. Men perform a contract in which they lose their rights in accordance with an authority that compels by force to comply with the covenants. After the establishment of this absolute power, there will be all types of agreements for mutual benefit. They give all their rights except the right to life, which is to preserve the state.
POLITICAL SYSTEM	Absolutism (No pact with ruling, the waiver of rights is irrevocable).
LIMITS OF POWER AND LEGALITY	Since there is no moral authority prior to positive law, laws are established by the sovereign. The authority of the sovereign is absolute and is not accountable to anyone.

Locke

STATE OF NATURE	Communities. Natural rights, “property” (life, liberty, possessions). Peace: Freedom. Men are free and equal, but often not respected when their interests come into play. The state of nature is insecure. The natural law knowable by human reason prescribes a moral obligation to respect life, liberty, and property of men.
SOCIAL CONTRACT	From: individuals and ruler. Means: resignation only to legislate and punish (judiciary and executive) End: protection of property rights. Citizens make a pact to respect the natural law and the laws established by the ruler, and gain security and respect in matters relating to their lives, liberties, and properties. They give the right to dispense justice themselves.
POLITICAL SYSTEM	Liberalism (Individuals retain most of natural rights, the ruler’s power is revocable)
LIMITS OF POWER AND LEGALITY	Natural law legitimizing the pact is also the limit for the action of the ruler. There is separation of powers (legislative, executive, and federal). The right of resistance against abuses of power.

Rousseau

STATE OF NATURE	Individuals “kind.” Natural rights. Peace. Subsistence difficulties. Men in their natural state are driven by self-love (self-preservation) and compassion. They live in the happy state of the “noble savage” in harmony with nature and with other men. In the state of nature, there is no morality.
SOCIAL CONTRACT	Include: individual and community. Means: surrender of all rights to the community. End: subsistence. Civic freedom. What compels the social contract? The emergence of private property and society perverted the natural order. Now we have to make a contract to profoundly change man and society.
POLITICAL SYSTEM	Democracy (Contract creates the “general will” to obey, obey individual himself.)
LIMITS OF POWER AND LEGALITY	It is the community that gives itself the law. Its objective is the public good. The legislature should make laws that express the opinion of the general will.