Human Nature

Question 1

Hobbes and human imperfection

Answer 1

• humans are imperfect and are ruthlessly selfish, calculating and competitive.
• Without the state to restrain them then humans would regard each other with ‘envy and hatred’ and would exist in a perpetual war meaning life was ‘nasty brutish and short’.
• his ideal form of state was an authoritarian one.
• described a world of chaos before there was a formal state.

Question 2

Burke

Answer 2

• dismissed human rationality and provided a sceptical view of humanity that bender achieves what it desires and completely dismissed the idea that a utopia could be created.
• humanity was flawed
• did see people as the monsters described by Hobbes.
• Saw human as more communal than individualistic.
• saw the church as having a central role and also community (little platoons) giving individuals the support and comfort they need.

Question 3

One-nation

Answer 3

• humans fear the unknown and dislike change, instead preferring a routine and familiarity.
• Oakeshott argued that people are ‘fragile and falliable’ however he was more in-line with Burke than Hobbes arguing that without laws to guide them human life would be ‘noisy, foolish and flawed’ and stressing the importance of religion.
• He did however argue that humanity was capable of being ‘benign and benevolent’ linking to one nation views of paternalism.

Question 4

New Right

Answer 4

• humans naturally desire individual freedom and have the ability to innovate and be enterprising.
• Ayn Rand wrote ‘The Virtue of Selfishness’ which argued that ‘objectivism’ - self-interest and self-fulfilment drove human behaviour.
• Robert Nozick also saw people as egotistical, seeing this the way for people to reach their full potential and the state should leave them alone to do so. His view on humanity is not fully positive and he sees the need for some formal authority.