Compare And Contrast Adam Smith And Thomas Hobbes

John Locke, Adam Smith, and Thomas Hobbes are some of the most influential authors that lived during the 17th century. The 17th century was a time when democracy began to get its roots. During this time people were becoming get fed up with the way their government ran, and the way they were being treated. These authors spent their time writing very informational works about their thoughts on the government, its workings, and what was needed to make it successful. However, it takes more than just a good book to ensure the stability of an entire government. The philosophical foundations that industrialized democracies are based on do not ensure stability. While the romantic thoughts of democracy’s founding fathers speak to some, only those who …show more content…
Having lived from 1586 to 1679, Hobbes lived under a social system known as feudalism (Hauss 32). Compared to democracy, feudalism was a crystal clear social system with very apparent benefits. Hobbes felt strongly that democracy would not ensure stability, in fact he preached it would do quite the opposite. In his most famous work Leviathan Hobbes argued that “people are naturally wicked and cannot be trusted to govern” (Hauss 32). Therefore, Hobbes felt that the only successful social system that would ever work was an absolute …show more content…
Smith’s most famous was a book called The Wealth Of Nations where he analyzes what makes a nation generate wealth (Hauss 32). One of Smith’s most popular ideas was that a government does not need to interfere with a market. He believed that a market would regulate its self depending on supply and demand. While he is absolutely correct, the idea that the government is not needed does not ensure stability. Allowing a market to exist without any government influence is opening a market up for exorbitant pricing, gouging, and