Locke vs. Hobbes: Contrasting Social Contract Theories

John Locke (1632–1704): Father of Liberalism

John Locke is considered the father of political liberalism. His most important work is Two Treatises of Government.

The Social Contract and Consent of the Governed

The main idea of Locke's philosophy is that the power of rulers is based on the consent of the governed.

The State of Nature (Locke)

For Locke, civil government arises through a social contract. His State of Nature is characterized by:

• Complete Equality: No one is above anyone else.
• Perfect Freedom: Individuals can do whatever they want with themselves and their properties.
• Natural Law Limit: This freedom has a limit—the obligation not to harm others.

Men leave the State of Nature because not all individuals adhere to natural law; some violate it (harm others). Against those who violate natural law, one can use the right of self-defense. This situation was inherently unsafe, leading men to unite to form a government.

Formation and Purpose of Civil Government

Civil government is created by virtue of a social pact between individuals. By this covenant, individuals waive only the right of self-defense, establishing a government elected by the people.

The aim of government is to impartially administer civil justice and protect the natural rights of individuals, especially the right to property, defined broadly as all ownership of an asset or right.

If citizens disagree with the modus operandi of the government, they have the right to revoke or dissolve it.

Locke's Separation of Powers

Locke divides governmental power into three branches:

• The Legislature: Makes the laws.
• The Executive: Ensures compliance with the laws.
• The Federative: Aims at state security and international relations.

Thomas Hobbes (1588–1673)

Key Work: Leviathan (1651).

Historical Context and Political Goal

Hobbes lived during a period of intense political turmoil, including the English Civil War and the execution of Charles I. He despised civil war. Hobbes's purpose was to provide absolute security for the State by establishing an absolute monarch.

The State of Nature and the Social Contract (Hobbes)

Hobbes explains the emergence of the state based on the premise that men, prior to civil society, lived in a State of Nature where all are at war with everyone. Each one seeks only his own ends: “Man is a wolf to man.” This condition prevents the development of economy and society.

Civil society (the State) emerges when men agree with one another to achieve security. They covenant to establish a sovereign, but they do not compromise with the sovereign himself. Therefore, the sovereign is not required to grant rights to citizens, only to protect them.

The Power of the Absolute Sovereign

The sovereign is above the law; he may make laws but does not have to obey them. Consequently, subjects are left without inherent rights, surrendering even those they possessed in the State of Nature.

The only rights subjects possess are those granted by the sovereign, which can be removed at any time. The sovereign's primary duty is to ensure safety and true welfare, which Hobbes defines as innocent freedom (no impediment to movement; the subject may do anything not explicitly prohibited by the sovereign).