Study guide

John Locke

Central Problem: How we can live together if we are all naturally free and equal

• Human Nature: Free, Equal, reason-capable—property- owner

• Goal of Politics: secure property, create standing known laws, impartial judges, constitutional power

• Signature Claim: People enter society to protect property—limited government

Key Concepts

• Property

• Consent

• State of nature

Hobbes

Central Problem: Radical insecurity produced by natural equality.

Human Nature: Free, Equal, driven by fear of violent death

Goal of Politics: create an absolute common power that defines laws, enforces contracts, eliminates competition

Signature Claim: State of nature is a state of war, so we must give up effectively all our power to a sovereign to rule absolutely

Machiavelli

Central Problem: Radical instability in the world

Human Nature: ambitious, unreliable, self-interested— some want to dominate others just want to be alone

Goal of Politics: found a new political order, institute order over chaos

Signature Claim: Life is about survival, ends justify the means, and virtue is really just being able to be effective—cruelty well-used

Aquinas

Central Problem: Human beings are in a world but aim toward happiness beyond it

Human Nature: rational, social, driven-toward eternal happiness

Goal of Politics: make virtuous citizens, make peace, and create a space where people can find eternal happiness

Signature Claim: There is an eternal law, and natural law and human law are within it—and divine law is that which is revealed to us, which tells us there is eternal happiness outside the world (where we can be somewhat happy)

Augustine

Central Problem: Human beings fallen and in a fallen world

Human Nature: lost, fallen, broken—the world is a vampire

Goal of Politics: make the world less miserable while we wait for final judgment

Signature Claim: life is misery and politics is miserable, and human beings should escape to the eternal happiness that awaits them beyond the world