government philosophers blog

Hobbes invented the idea of the social contract. He says that man is too greedy and too sus and a government must be formed in order to keep man from fighting. Government prevents chaos. The law keeps man’s power in check. 
Locke believed in a government in which Men agree to it themselves but this means the government has to protect the rights of the individuals. The government is supposed to allow individuals freedom and liberty because then they will be safe from violence of others and laws are there to protect man’s rights and property. 
Rousseau also looks at the government as a protection for man because man cant survive alone. The social contract makes them relate to each other and secures their independence and forces them to be free because you have other people holding you accountable.  
Hobbes says the monarch has sovereignty.its better to lose individual rights than order. The ruler has the power to maintain the power. Locke says that the ruler and the citizens have responsibility. He thinks the citizens have responsibility and if the ruler threatens this they should replace the ruler. He thinks the citizens have the power and can give said power to the leader. Rousseau believed in popular sovereignty which is where people are involved directly or indirectly. They are the source of power and give the power to their leaders. It is all for the greater good. He thinks the majority rules. Hobbes does not care about individual rulers. Locke is tricky. He believes in the legislature, the people, and the community. Everyone has a responsibility in this contract. Rousseau would have forced men to be free and a general will for the greater good. Hobbes thinks that everyone needs a government so why would they not submit to one? Man is greedy and needs protection that government can provide. Locke says that man gives up their natural equality, liberty, and executive power they had in nature, they give it to society and trust that the legislative will use it for the good of society to preserve everyone and their property. People place power in legislation through their consent and it protects the people. Rousseau says that man has a natural goodness. Man can find protection and freedom by agreeing to a social contract and a civil society. Whoever refuses to obey the general will will be forced to do so. This will keep everyone free and safe. 
The issue with Hobbes is that he sounds like a dictatorship would work for his government.  It would leave no room for individual beliefs in freedom. There would be order, but people’s happiness and freedom should be important. Rousseau’s flaw is the idea of forcing people to be “free” because this is actually taking away freedom. Locke sounds more like our government because it is based more on the individual handing over the power, like this is what we want, can you do this? My Government would be like the United States, but ideally, I’d like the leader or president to be someone I really respected, but that’s not always the case.

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