Hobbes And Rousseau And The State Of Nature

Throughout the centuries, words and their definitions have evolved, within the political sphere. For instance, the notion of democracy as it is known today is diametrically opposed to the definition of democracy that was implemented during Plato's era, during which it was seen as being part of the worst regimes. One can also note the same pattern of variation, as far as the ideas of equality and inequality are concerned. For the sake of this essay, the definitions provided by Hobbes and Rousseau will be analyzed, as well as their views on the state of nature and on the idea of a social contract.

“Nature hath made men so equal in the faculties of body and mind as that, though there be found one man sometimes manifestly stronger in body …show more content…
Both thinkers agree with the fact that the idea of a dominating structure is absurd, within the state of nature, and with the fact that violence and disagreement can be present amongst men, in such a state. Yet, Rousseau disagrees with Hobbes as far as the scarcity of elements is concerned, as he's argued that elements can be replenished. However, any departure from the state of nature would create situations of unhappiness and of apathy, within individuals. In addition, the Genevan thinker suggests that mankind possess free will (which is also found in the Hobbesian view) and can become perfectible. Rousseau argues that both these notions can be used by a population seeking to leave the state of nature. The author of the “Discourse on Inequality” has also argued that farming and metallurgy, which were on the rise, as a result of the territorial “discoveries” of the time, are other means that allowed an exodus from the state of nature. Rousseau also argued that the growth of societies, due in part to the race for discovery, caused an increase in the notion of self-love (amour propre), which was part of what he saw as being the “empire of opinion”, and vanity, which was a means of corruption, in its own quality. The idea of self-love is defined, amongst other things, by the appearance of being virtuous and by the use of manners, in society. The “empire of opinion” that has been described by Rousseau and the fact that the subsequent desires cannot be fully filled (a link could be made with Plato's leaky jars concept) has created a rise in anxiety and unhappiness, within the population, at the time. The concept of vanity brought forth the rise of what was seen as being “smiling enemies”, which were corrupted souls. Rousseau also thought that the access to private properties, which he saw as the core of the societal universe,