The famous political texts Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes and The Second Treatise of Government by John Locke have had a profound impact on what is seen to be the role of government in society, with the latter having more lasting influence, particularly in modern society. The former, in short, argues that men ought to submit themselves and all of their rights to an entity with absolute authority over them, and that no matter how this man, or assembly of men abuses its power, they ought not to resist this entity, as the alternative is a chaotic, violent world. Just by examining the thesis of Hobbes’ work, one would easily deduce that such an idea is contrary to the ideals lauded in our modern society, those being of certain inalienable rights, the rule of law, and the separation/limitation of powers.
Locke presents each of these aforementioned ideals and explains them to be essential to governance for the common good. He places explicit limits on the power of government over its subjects. Raising ideas such as property rights and consent, Locke states that the primary role of a government is to preserve society, ie. a harmonious state in which men are guaranteed protection under the law, and property. (262) To him, if a government descends into tyrannical rule, a state in which those in power act in self interest or beyond the law, it is the populace’s …show more content…
(208) One doesn’t need to go into painstaking detail to prove that totalitarian rule has led to immeasurable human suffering, with Hitler’s Germany, Maoist China, and Stalinist Russia immediately comes to mind. Locke correctly is skeptical of absolute power, likening it to slavery and a state of war. (248) Although there is certainly merit to the very basics of Hobbes’ argument, the basics of Locke’s argument are quite
Locke presents each of these aforementioned ideals and explains them to be essential to governance for the common good. He places explicit limits on the power of government over its subjects. Raising ideas such as property rights and consent, Locke states that the primary role of a government is to preserve society, ie. a harmonious state in which men are guaranteed protection under the law, and property. (262) To him, if a government descends into tyrannical rule, a state in which those in power act in self interest or beyond the law, it is the populace’s …show more content…
(208) One doesn’t need to go into painstaking detail to prove that totalitarian rule has led to immeasurable human suffering, with Hitler’s Germany, Maoist China, and Stalinist Russia immediately comes to mind. Locke correctly is skeptical of absolute power, likening it to slavery and a state of war. (248) Although there is certainly merit to the very basics of Hobbes’ argument, the basics of Locke’s argument are quite