Hobbes and Locker’s Ideas about Natural State
Abstract
“Natural State” is the theoritical foundation of the modern western political science , and the premise in the logical inference of the modern western political philosophy. Both Hobbes and Locker's political theory are starting from the Natural State hypothesis . However , because the time they lived in is different , the personal experience of them is different, thus they have a different understanding respective to the Natural State. But when they were devising their Natural State , they have left its own insurmountable flaw. The two embarked from the Natural State hypothesis, demonstrated the viewpoint of the bourgeoisie “born equal”,and indicated the origin of a country. The two thinkers are both try to unify the logic and the history , in order to take their theory rooted in history, by the history to strengthen the convincing of their theory . Although the starting point and the purpose are consistent, two people actually described two different prospects. This article tries hard to analysis the differences and similarities of this two kind viewpoint of Natural State,and the different contract theory which resulted from it ,at the same time ,show the reasons for this difference. The article would be divided into 4 points.
The first part is describes Hobbes and Locker's Natural State separately, analyzes its features and flaws ,as well as the reasons that lead to such flaws.
The second part is compare this two kind of Natural State , tries hard to show the differences and similarities of this two viewpoint of Natural State thorough analyses.
The third part analyzes the dividing line of Hobbes and Locker's political theory which caused by the differences of this two kind Natural State . Because the two thinkers describe a different Natural State , thus the government's goal,form and the contents of the contracts which demonstrated by Hobbes and Locker are all different.
The fourth part is a overall appraisal to this two kind of Natural State theory , not only has analyzed the substance of this two Natural State , but also explained the basic reason that causes the differences of this two Natural State .
Key word: Hobbes ; Locker ; Natural State