Hobbes, Locke, Montesquieu, and Rousseau Guided Reading Questions

What was the relationship between the social contract and the sovereign as stated in Rousseau's work The Social Contract?

He believed that each person will remain free and they midst give up their rights to the whole community. That the community made laws for the public good. Explain Rousseau's ideas about a direct democracy and political power. How did he view religion's relationship to the state? Direct democracy is where all citizens vote and must obey the law to vote. He believed that political power must reside with the people. He believed God was apart of the state even though he was a big fan of religion.

In The Spirit of Laws, how did Montesquieu differ from Hobbes and Locke in his beliefs about the state of nature? What did he mean by "state of war" and its relation to "the state of society'?

He believed that in the state of nature individuals were so fearful that they avoided violence and war rather than the typical belief of life and liberty. State of War

Which political Philosopher said that life in a state of nature is "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short":

Hobbes

Explain Rousseau's early life, education, and first successful writing experience.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) was born in Geneva, Switzerland, where all adult male citizens could vote for a representative government. Rousseau traveled in France and Italy, educating himself.In 1751, he won an essay contest. His fresh view that man was naturally good and was corrupted by society made him a celebrity in the French salons where artists, scientists, and writers gathered to discuss the latest ideas. A few years later he published another essay in which he described savages in a state of nature as free, equal, peaceful, and happy. When people began to claim ownership of property, Rousseau argued, inequality, murder, and war resulted.

What was John Locke's educational and political background? How did his background reflect Enlightenment ideas?

John Locke studied science and medicine at Oxford University and became a political professor. His background reflected Enlightenment ideas because while he was a professor at Oxford university he sided with the Protestant Parliament against the Roman Catholic Church in the Revolution of 1685.

Although Locke in Two Treatises of Government agreed with Hobbes about the necessity of a social contract in a brutish state of nature, what were his disagreements regarding man's natural rights and the operation of the social contract? How did he view the power of the king?

Locke disagreed with Hobbes when concerning man's natural rights and the operation of the social contract/ He believed that natural rights such as life, liberty, and justice existed in the state of nature and could never be taken away voluntarily given up by individuals. Locke also believed that the social contract was an agreement among the people, but between them and sovereign.

Explain Locke's ideas about representative government. What role did property play in his conception of voting rights?

Locke favored the representative type of government such as the English Parliament, which had a hereditary House of Lords and an elected House of Commons. But he just wanted the representatives to be only men of property and business. He believed that people who were propertyless weren't allowed to participate in government.

How did Montesquieu somewhat misinterpret the exercise of political power in England?

Montesquieu somewhat misinterpreted how political power was actually exercised in England. When he wrote The Spirit of the Laws, power was concentrated pretty much in Parliament, the national legislature. Montesquieu thought he saw a separation and balancing of the powers of government in England.

Describe Montesquieu's family, educational, and political background.

Montesquieu's was born into a noble family and educated in law. He traveled extensively throughout Europe, where he studied the Parliament.

According to Montesquieu, what was the main purpose of government? What did he determine was the best form of government? Why?

To Montesquieu he thought the main purpose of the government is to maintain order and law. He believed that the best form of government was the English system because it was his home country.

Which theory holds that the first government formed as a result of people agreeing among themselves to submit to the authority of a state?

social contrac theory

How did Rousseau view man in the "state of nature"? What, according to Rousseau, was the influence of society on man, particularly the ownership of property? How did he disagree with Hobbes, Locke, and Montesquieu regarding the idea of the social contract?

As Rousseau discusses in the Discourse on Inequality and The Social Contract, the state of nature is the hypothetical, prehistoric place and time where human beings live uncorrupted by society. That said, the state of nature also carries the drawback that human beings have not yet discovered rationality or morality. He believed that when people started owning property inequality, murder, and war resulted. Rousseau believed that the social contract was that the individual should never be forced to give up his or her natural rights to the king.

Why did Hobbes believe the best form of government had a king at its sovereign?

He believed the best form of government had a king and a sovereign because placing more power in the hands of a king would mean more resolute and consistent exercise of political authority.

How did Hobbes view the church's relationship to government?

Hobbes believed that the church's relationship with the government should be separate. He feared that religion would cause a Civil War. He thought that the church should became a department of the king's government, handling affairs with

The philosopher who believed that all people are born free and equal, with the rights to life, liberty, and property was:

Locke

Who said that if a government does not protect rights, they should overthrow the government?

Locke

What were Locke's views on property and its relationships to government?

Locke believed that property was the was the most important natural right. He declared that owners may do whatever they want with their property as long as they don't invade the rights of others. Government, was mainly necessary to promote the "public good", that is to protect property and encourage commerce and little else.

According to this philosopher "To prevent this abuse, it is necessary, from the very nature of things, that power should be a check to power."

Montesquieu

Which philosopher proposed the idea of a separation of powers?

Montesquieu

Which philosopher valued the role of women in society?

Montesquieu

What significant historical event occurred prior to Thomas Hobbes' writing of Leviathan? What is the meaning of the title?

Prior to Hobbes writing of Leviathan a civil war broke out in 1649 in England on whether the King Charles I of Parliament should rule. The meaning of Leviathan is a mythological, whale like sea creature monster that devoured whole ships. Hobbes referred to the government like the Leviathan, a powerful state created to impose order.

According to this philosopher, "Man is born free and everywhere he is in chains":

Rousseau

Explain what Hobbes meant by the "state of nature" and by the "social contract."

When Hobbes referred to the state of nature he means that there are no laws or anyone to enforce them. The Social Contract was the sovereign, created by the people, might be a person or group. The sovereign would make and enforce the laws to secure a peaceful society, making life, liberty, and property as well.

Hobbes believed this form of government to be best:

absolute monarchy

English System

changed from the absolute monarchy of the Tudors and early Stuarts to constitutional monarchy and the rule of Parliament

Which form of government did Locke prefer?

representative democracy

What was the phrase used by Enlightenment philosophers to describe the world without laws?

state of nature