Philosophy: the significance of Hobbes and Locke

Question 1

Key dates:

Answer 1

1588 - Hobbes born
1632 - Locke born
1651 - Leviathan published
1679 - Hobbes dies
1688 - Locke returns to England at the GR
1689 - Two Treatises on Government published
1690 - Locke’s Essay Concerning Human Understanding published
1704 - Locke dies

Question 2

Liberalism

Answer 2

Belief in the notions of individual rights, freedom, tolerance and social reform - by their nature liberals tend to oppose absolute monarchy

Question 3

Thomas Hobbes

Answer 3

1588-1679

• Most widely recognised of the political philosophers of the interregnum
• Son of a vicar - attended Oxford - worked as a tutor to the sons of the landed elites - travelling extensively around Europe - developed an interest in philosophy
• Was in Paris in 1642 - having fled there in fear of being targeted for royalist sympathies
• For a while - tour to the young Charles II
• Began to formulate his most important ideas, published in 1651 in ‘Leviathan’

Question 4

‘Leviathan’

Answer 4

• Leviathan - underlying principle: people are guided by lust for power or by fear of what will happen to them as a consequence of their struggle for power
• People naturally afraid of each other - compelled to agree to a social contract - confer all power to one man or political body, the LEVIATHAN, and give up some liberties in order to be protected

Anarchy will ensue if people don’t concede to the Leviathan

Question 5

How is Leviathan a contradiction?

Answer 5

Has been an inspiration to those aspiring for absolute monarchy - underpins a number of principles now associated with liberalism

Question 6

Hobbes belief about humans before governments?

Answer 6

Human existence defined by perpetual war and that, if there wasn’t a strong govt, society would revert to this state

Overarching belief - people should have individual liberties - but should have these if a strong ruler is placed in charge (Hobbes justification for advocating the Stuart monarchy)

Question 7

John Locke

Answer 7

1632-1704

• Most vocal proponent of liberalism
• His ideas influenced the Whigs and great thinkers of the 18th century such as Rousseau and Voltaire, helped to inspire the French and American Revolutions
• Opposes absolute monarchy in favour of individual rights and liberties

Question 8

Locke and Earl of Shaftesbury

Answer 8

• Entered service of Earl of Shaftesbury - a prominent founder of the Whig movement
• Therefore was able to write and publish a number of important works of political philosophy
• When Shaftesbury’s career seemed to be floundering in 1675 - Locke fled to Holland - only returned permanently in 1688, accompanying the new queen

Question 9

Empiricism

Answer 9

Belief that knowledge can only come about as a result of experience.

Empiricists tend to seek out evidence and carry out experiments in order to formulate theories.

Empirical ideas were essential to the development of the scientific revolution.

Locke = father of empiricism - he sought to make his conclusions only through experience or through observing the experiences of others

Question 10

Locke’s works

Answer 10

‘Two Treatises on Govt’ (1689) and ‘Essay Concerning Human Understanding’ (1690) - his ethical and philosophical ideas

Treatises - have been seen as his most important - were generally accepted to be a justification for the GR - but they were almost certainly written years earlier

Question 10

What was Locke’s significance in the contribution he made towards the contemporary debate between Whigs and Tories?

Answer 10

• Rejected the Tory view that absolutism was necessary for a fully functioning society
• Believed instead that men were born free and that no one had divine right, as all are equal in the eyes of God

Question 11

What did Locke believe about the confessional state?

Answer 11

• That it shouldn’t be resurrected - an idea championed by his patron, Shaftesbury - who campaigned against the succession of James II

Question 12

How do Hobbes and Locke compare?

Answer 12

• Locke is like Hobbes, in that people enter into a social contract, but unlike Hobbes this contract meant that no govt could interfere with basic human rights

Question 13

What did Locke believe the role of govt should be?

Answer 13

• To protect the basic rights of life, liberty and property, and that if govt overstepped the mark then citizens could destroy it, as they did in the GR
• To prevent govt from abusing power - the legislative, executive and judicial branches should be kept separate - underpins Western democracies today