Hobbes, Locke and Rosseau

Question 1

Jean Jacques Rousseau’s most famous work is titled and was published when?

Answer 1

The Social Contract (1762)

Question 2

Rousseau’s concept of the state of nature is based on the notion…?

Answer 2

That human beings are self interested beings

Question 3

Rousseau’s social contract is established based on the need for?

Answer 3

security and the guarantee of civil liberty, as opposed to natural liberty

Question 4

Natural Liberty is?

Answer 4

The untrammeled right to do as one please without regard to their fellow beings, and their only guide is their instinct

Question 5

Civil liberty is based on the concept of a community obedient to?

Answer 5

laws that they prescribe for themselves

Question 6

Civil liberty is reliant upon?

Answer 6

restraint that can guarantee equality for all, instead of unbridled desire to do as one wishes

Question 7

The civil state is inspired by..?

Answer 7

Justice and morality

Question 8

In the civil state human beings derive security through?

Answer 8

Collective association

Question 9

According to Rousseau the civil state would naturally evolve because?

Answer 9

the state of nature could not guarantee individual preservation against the threats of other and their pursuit of self interest

Question 10

In the social contract human beings surrender their rights and privileges to?

Answer 10

everyone instead of to any one person in particular?

Question 11

What is meant by the General will?

Answer 11

This is the will of the people and the foundation and source of authority for all laws of the state

Question 12

The general will upholds the principles of? (4)

Answer 12

• liberty
• law
• right to property
• justice
• equality
• morality

Question 13

The general will comes from all, and applies to all, means?

Answer 13

nothing less than the man will be forced to be free

Question 14

For Rousseau, the sovereignty of the state lays in the?

Answer 14

general will of the people

Question 15

Thomas Hobbes most famous work is titled and was published when?

Answer 15

The Leviathan (1651)

Question 16

Hobbes argued that people..?

Answer 16

are born equal in mind and body and that equality is the source of all their difficulties

Question 17

Hobbes’ pessimistic view of human nature was one whereby?

Answer 17

he felt human beings were filled with greed and the lust for power that would lead them to turn against their fellow human being

Question 18

In Hobbes’ state of nature there is…?

Answer 18

a continual fear of danger ad violent death and the life of man is short, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short

Question 19

The civil state for Hobbes is not organic but rather..?

Answer 19

a mechanical creation by human beings to have a sovereign (Leviathan) rule over them

Question 20

The purpose of Hobbes’ state was..?

Answer 20

to make the necessary laws to allow peace, order and good governance

Question 21

John Locke, just like Hobbes viewed the state as?

Answer 21

A mechanical or utilitarian creation

Question 22

For Locke natural laws were?

Answer 22

the expressions of God’s will to human beings

Question 23

For Locke, reason was?

Answer 23

a gift from God and unreasonable behavior was to be viewed as non-human

Question 24

Right and wrong were determined by?

Answer 24

the laws of nature through the instrument of reason

Question 25

The civil State, for Locke, was established in order to provide guarantees against imperfections in natural laws. What were these imperfections?

Answer 25

• the laws of nature were unwritten and could be misinterpreted or ignored
• no established impartial judges
• no guarantee that justice could be carried out by the wronged party

Question 26

For Locke, the people have … and the government has …?

Answer 26

… rights … duties …