Locke And Rousseau s Natural State Of Nature - 1252 Words

Both Locke and Rousseau describe the natural state of man as being innately free, although their opinions on freedom differ. In Second Treatise of Government, Locke depicts man as being naturally free because he believes that, in nature, we are able to do as we please and every person is equal. Rousseau describes the natural man as being free from the corruption and desires that society forces onto man. Locke and Rousseau agree that the best state is the freest, and that the purpose of a social contract ought to be to preserve mankind, his freedom, and his goodwill. In Second Treatise of Government, Locke describes man in his state of nature to be inherently free. He claims that we possess the natural rights to protect ourselves, our†¦show more content†¦Although the people are given the protection of the government, they must give up some of their natural freedoms and rights in order to conform to the common laws of the civil state. The objective of the state is to maintain the freedom of each person for the purpose of the collective preservation of man. Locke views those who breach the natural laws of a society as threatening mankind’s preservation, and that everyone must join the social contract for the purpose of preservation. Similar to Locke, Rousseau, in his Discourse on Inequality, argues that we must first examine the natural state of man before understanding laws and society. He claims that, by nature, we are compassionate creatures. Rousseau believes that society is undeniably corrupt; he suggests that, to understand the true nature of man, we must rid ourselves of this corruption. Rousseau claims that people living in society are not free. He suggests the civilized world is unauthentic and that we are preoccupied by unattainable desires—that is, to possess everything and be the best. Rousseau introduces the idea of â€Å"amour propre† as a way by which man is untrue to himself and to others. He wants to control and domi nate his fellow citizens and, by consequence, is enslaved by these desires. Virtues and vices are established with the development of society; the pride which is introduced throughShow MoreRelatedSimilarities Between Locke And Rousseau1369 Words   |  6 Pagescompares Locke and Rousseau noticeable similarities and differences can be found. Both men advocate similar ideas with different outcomes regarding the state of nature. Furthermore, Locke and Rousseau both come to distinct actualization and prophecies. Regarding the progression and advancement of mankind. Therefore, by comparing and contrasting these two distinct teachings one can find the true principles behind the state of nature and the natural laws inherent in mankind. The state of nature can beRead MoreJohn Locke s Theory Of Theory And Social Discourse1253 Words   |  6 PagesIn 1690, John Locke, an Englishman, wrote his Second Treatise on Government which argued for a government featuring a societal sovereign that protected property. A half century later, Jean Jacques Rousseau published Discourse on Inequality, a piece that explored the proprietary origin and distribution of equality while subtly critiquing John Locke’s theories. By the time Karl Marx began to explore bourgeois society and its shortcomings, Rousseau was an established Locke critique who Marx’s On theRead MoreJohn Locke And Jacques Rousseau1325 Words   |  6 PagesPhilosophy 5/4/2016  1. While both John Locke and Jacques Rousseau trusted that each ought to be free and that nobody ought to need to surrender his/her natural rights to a lord, both contrasted on what this situation ought to resemble. Locke had confidence in restricted, delegate government. However, Rousseau had faith in direct government by the general population. The contrasts between John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau need to do as much with dispositions as with frameworks. Both ofRead MoreThe Social Contract Theory Since The United States1449 Words   |  6 PagesFor this discussion, I am keen to discuss the Social Contract theory since I see this fundamental theory still directly affects today s politics in the United States as well as around the world. Contemporary study of neoliberalism and neo-conservatism as in the analysis of Wendy Brown (2006) or of political deliberation and deliberative democracy in the writing of Simone Chambers (2009) is a dynamic consequences of that basic concepts of democracy from the past. During its development, democracyRead MoreThomas Hobbes And The State Of Nature1727 Words   |  7 Pagesphilosophers the notion of the State of Nature, a concept used to describe the hypothetical conditions of human life before the development of societies, is important in determining political societies, or the governmental structures that composed these. However, many philosophers have different notions of the State of Nature. In this essay I am going to use the writings of Thomas Hobbes, John Locke and Jean-Jacque Rousseau to explain how their notions of the State of Nature shape the way they envisionRead MoreThe Social Contract Of The Middle East Essay1431 Words   |  6 PagesThe social contracts of Hobbes, L ocke and Rousseau constructed a basis upon which governments have expressed their validity and purpose. This can be observed most prominently in the Western world, due to the development of these social contracts alongside that of governments of Western nations. But the abstract roots of these theories on the foundation of government are applicable to all peoples. The Middle East is of particular interest due to the recent outcries and protests against governmentsRead MoreJohn Locke And Jean Jacques Rousseau1270 Words   |  6 Pages The implementation of a society in which all are guaranteed equal rights has never come to fruition. Through political treatise, formulated essay’s, and prototypical society s, many have attempted to recreate the works of famed philosophers: John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Disagreeing regarding the innate goodness of humans, both understand that for a political society to function properly, humans must be given a society in which prosperi ty is the goal. Therefore, underlying the key themeRead MoreThe Social Contract: Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau1377 Words   |  6 PagesThe Social Contract The three philosophers, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau were three key thinkers of political philosophy. The three men helped develop the social contract theory into what it is in this modern day and age. The social contract theory was the creation of Hobbes who created the idea of a social contract theory, which Locke and Rousseau built upon. Their ideas of the social contract were often influenced by the era in which they lived and social issues thatRead MoreEssay on John Lockes Second Treatise on Civil Government1360 Words   |  6 Pagesmeanings that each man considered to be the accurate definition of reason. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;John Locke believed that the state â€Å"all men are naturally in ... is a state of perfect freedom† (122), a state in which they live â€Å"without ... depending upon the will of any other man† (122). It is called the â€Å"the state of nature,† and it is something that is within us at birth. The state of nature is a law made by God, called the Law of Reason. This law gives humankind liberty, freedom, and equalityRead MoreThe Function of a Social Contract1676 Words   |  7 PagesThomas Hobbes, John Locke, Jean Jacques Rousseau and finally with John Rawls after which a overall view into the function of a social contract can be derived as well as any problems with the theory(s). The basic concept of a social contract is for members of society to enter into a voluntary contract, which allows society to go from a state of nature to a state of civilisation. What is meant by a state of nature is quite similar to how the rest of the animal kingdom works. A person ¡Ã‚ ¦s security depends