Thomas Hobbes and John Locke

Man is inherently evil.
Hobbes’ State of Nature: life would be “nasty, brutish and short.”
Without order and protection, no decent life of any kind would be possible.
Hobbes’ Social Contract: people surrendered their freedom (rights) to the state (a sovereign: a monarch), but in return, they received order and security.
* As long as the government was maintaining order, the people did not have the right to break this contract.

Locke’s State of Nature: men and women have certain natural rights God-given (natural rights); have just because you exist: life, liberty and property.
Locke’s Social Contract: made between the people and the government that promised to preserve these natural rights.
People are basically good. Most respect the rights of others because their conscience tells them that they have a duty to do so.
* But people are also driven by their self-interest and might take advantage of the rights of others.
If the government did not preserve these natural rights, the people were justified in rebelling
* Citizens can relieve officials from office if they violate the trust placed in them by the people
* Locke’s theory influenced ideas in the Declaration of Independence.