Political thought vocab/concepts

Justice for Hobbes

Is the concept of ensuring social order and security through a strong central authority or government, where the state maintains peace and prevents competition

Justice for Rousseau

is based on the idea of the general will and social contact that prioritize collective will over individual interests, emphasizing equality and mutual bene fit in society.

Right of nature

The freedom each individual has to do anything they deem necessary for their own preservation, including the pursuit of personal welfare and security.

Law of Hobbes

Hobbes believed that without rules or government, people would live in constant conflict, because everyone is trying to survive and protect themselves. He famously described this as a life that is “nasty, brutish, and short.”

Law of Rousseau

People should follow rules that they agree on together, for the good of everyone.

Right of nature for Hobbes

The right of nature, is the ability to do anything you think is necessary to survive

Laws of nature for Hobbes

Hobbes’ laws of nature are simple rules—seek peace, cooperate, and keep agreements—so people can live safely together.

State of nature

no government

Social contact

Agreement among people who live in a community under set of rules.

Divine rights of the kings

It means a king gets his authority directly from God

Artificial person

A representative

Liberty for Hobbes

Hobbes’ liberty means being free from obstacles—but people limit that freedom to live safely in society.

Commonwealth

A commonwealth is an organized society ruled by a sovereign (leader or government) that people create to avoid chaos.

Natural Liberty Rousseau

For Rousseau, natural liberty is the simple, unlimited freedom humans have before society and laws exist.

Civil Liberty

Civil liberty is freedom within a society where everyone follows agreed-upon laws for mutual protection and fairness.

General will

General will is what is best for everyone, not just the individual

Representation for Rousseau

For Rousseau, political representation weakens true freedom because citizens should make laws themselves, not through others.

Representation for Hobbes

For Hobbes, representation means people give authority to a sovereign to act on their behalf, creating a unified government that represents everyone.

Legislative power

Creates laws

Executive power

Enforce laws