Difference
between Thomas Hobbes, John Locke and Jean Jacques Rousseau’s state of nature
and social contract theory, and Rousseau’s General Will.
Thomas
Hobbes (1588-1679):
What Newton did for physics, Hobbes did for political science. He sought to answer fundamental questions: How did the state originate? Why do we need a state? Why should we obey the government, and to what extent?
|
Book |
Leviathan |
|
State of Nature |
Life of man is poor, nasty, solitary, brutish
and short. |
|
State of War |
War of every man against every man. |
|
Social Contract |
They give up all their rights to an elected
sovereign, except right to life. |
|
Revolt |
When sovereign kills or threatens to kill
them. |
John
Locke (1632-1704):
|
Publication |
Two Treatises of Government |
|
State of Nature |
Peace, mutual assistance, good will and
self-preservation. Law of nature. |
|
State of War |
Everyone becomes judge and interprets law of
nature. |
|
Social Contract |
Rule of majority to secure natural rights
(Life, liberty and property.) |
|
Revolt |
If government fails to secure natural rights
or kills citizens. |
Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778): “Man is born free, but everywhere
he is in chains”.
He says, the first man who said that a
piece of land belongs to him and others believed it, put the foundation of
society. Thus, the arrival
of private property put the foundation of society. Desire of property sowed the
seeds of conflict and gradually, the society became corrupt.
|
Book |
Discourse on Inequality |
|
State of Nature |
Bliss, isolated, peaceful, timid, mute and no
worry of future. |
|
State of War |
Arrival of private property sowed the seeds
of conflict. |
|
Social Contract |
Rich people convinced others to make a
government. |
|
General Will |
Collective will of society. People make rules
by themselves. |
|
Revolt |
No revolution, because people have
legislation in their hands. |
General Will: Social contract is failed because that is made by rich people for their interests. As, now people could not reverse the social contract and go to the state of nature to enjoy the freedom. To settle this issue, they make another social contract (General Will) which gives them freedom like in state of nature. General will is the collective will of the society rather than of rich or poor. In general will, people give up all their rights to the General Will. Obeying General Will is like obeying oneself, because in General Will they make laws (legislation) as a collective body according to their own wishes. Government has executive and judiciary functions, and people has legislation power. Hence, they become free and equal as in state of nature.