Thomas Hobbes

Human Nature: believed humans were characterized by fear, violence and dangerous self interestEvery person is an extreme individualistIf everyone is free, then everyone is in dangerWe all need security more then we need freedomBelieved humans are physical objects, sophisticated machines all of whose function and activities can be described by mechanistic terms Like animal nature, we live independently from everyone else

Interpretations of Human History:Events such as the beheading of King Charles I and the forming of a Puritan republic whose government tyrannized the people and influenced the way Hobbes interrelated human history.This event also affected the way he viewed societySecurity is more important than freedomHorrors of civil war, he saw humans as selfish

Beliefs About How Society Should be Structured: Everyone in society should give up his or her freedom to a monarch/dictator who is responsible for everyone's security Believed if everyone was free, everyone is in danger Hobbes believed it was not possible to have freedom and responsibility

Visions for the Future:Hobbes wanted to avoid chaos and harm by having all people give up their sovereignty and by handing power over to the ruler everyone would be secureHe believed individual security could be achieved if individual sovereignty was sacrificed

(1588-1679)

John Locke (1632-1704)

Human Nature: People are rational, intelligent and responsible

people themselves were the source of powerIndividuals have the ability to make rational decisions

Interpretations of Human History: believed the only reason for the government was to protect life, liberty and propertyPeople give up freedom to enter a civil societyOpposed authoritarianism of the church and stateBelieved individuals had the right to use logic to make their own decisions

Beliefs About How Society Should be Structured:Believed in democracyBelieved the government should be accountable to the peopleHe also put great emphasizes on the idea of private property/ the right of individuals to protect what they ownedAny government action needs to be justified by popular consent

Visions for the Future: Believed in the social contract, people give up

natural rights and freedoms to government to receive security for themselves

Jean- Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778)

Human Nature:People are inherently good but are corrupted by civilization and societyHumans are naturally free and equal in principleHumans have lost their compassion for one another because they have become selfish

Interpretations of Human History:He wanted to strip humans of the rigid class structure, great extremes of wealth and poverty that he thought to be the results of the influence of societyWanted humans to go back to characteristics that were universal and unchanging (made humans good and equal)He was opposed to the idea of representative democracy

Beliefs About How Society Should be Structured:Believed if the characteristics that made humans good could be reestablished most effective forms of government could be determinedHe believed the general will of people was the absolute authority

Visions for the Future:Citizens themselves should make laws directly and if this were achieved people could enjoy their freedom like they use to