G ro u p 1

Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679)

His main concern is the problem of social and political order:
how human beings can live together in peace and avoid the
danger and fear of civil conflict. He poses stark alternatives: we
should give our obedience to an unaccountable sovereign (a
person or group empowered to decide every social and political
issue). Otherwise what awaits us is a state of nature that closely
resembles civil war – a situation of universal insecurity, where
all have reason to fear violent death and where rewarding
human cooperation is all but impossible.
 Social Contract theory
Thomas Hobbes' social contract theory was based on the idea that human beings entered into
an unwritten agreement with each other to escape from this warlike state of nature. This is
what he referred to as the social contract.
For Thomas Hobbes, social contract theory was necessary to allow society to flourish.
Without the social contract, humans could never move past the simple day to day search for
food and survival. There would be no reason to develop agriculture or industry, because your
hard work could just be taken from you by someone else.
 John Locke
a n d is o ft en re g a rd e d a s o n e
th -c e n tu ry E n g lis h p h il o s o pher
John Locke was a 17 is in flu e n ti al id e a s o n p o li ti c a l
th in k e rs . H e is k n o w n fo r h
of the Enlightenment e's " C o n s en t o f th e G o v e rn e d "
c ep t o f n a tu ra l ri g h ts . L o c k
philosophy and the con from th e c o n s e n t o f th e p e o p le
it im a te g o v e rn m e n t a ris e s
refers to the idea that leg a s o c ia l c o n tr a ct w ith th e
is v ie w , in d iv id u als e n te r in to
it governs. In h c o n s e n t o f
ern m e n t is d eri v e d fr o m th e
ri ty o f th e g o v
government, and the autho a c t o nm o d e rn p o liti c a l th o u g h t
h a s h a d a p ro fo u n d im p
the governed. This concept ra ti c p ri n c ip le s
n t o f d e m o c
and the developme
Consent of the Governed
Locke believed that in a state of nature, no one would have the right to govern (rule over)
you, and you would not have the right to govern anyone else. According to Locke, the only
way the people get the right to govern anyone else is when the people give their consent
(approval/permission).