Human Nature Establishes Political Authority - 982 Words

Now that we have an understanding of the three different accounts of the state of nature, it is important to understand the differing accounts of how human nature establishes political authority. Hobbes believes that because the state of nature is a constant state of war, the role of government must be to protect the people to protect people from themselves. Therefore, the purpose of political authority is to enforce law and order, and that the purpose of government is to control and be authoritative and should not be responsible for representing the people. Hobbes believes that you must give up your natural rights for peace. In the social contract man give up their rights to the state, but the social contract can only be signed among those who are equal as it is a contract established by the enforcer. Locke has a differing view that the establishment of political authority is to ensure that men have their property rights protected. Locke believes that the greatest purpose that men h ave for society is to be able to use their property, and to do safe while doing so. Therefore, Locke believes that the most important positive law that society should establish is the right to legislative power. To be governed under legislative power means that the government has to have the consent of the people. By having a government that is accountable to the people they represent, it will protect the people being governed against oppression, a government that has the consent of the peopleShow MoreRelatedSocial Contract Is The Formidable Obelisk For Peacebuilding And Statebuilding1269 Words   |  6 Pagesprinciple that â€Å"all men are by nature free and equal† (Lessnoff, 1990, p. 3) made Rawls disparate to his brethren who too theorized this concept. 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