StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

Political Theory of Locke and Rousseau - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
Opportunity Exercise Shaunte Bowman Western Civilization II P.F. Navage 4/9/2012 Political Theory of Locke and Rousseau Political Theory of Locke Locke is a philosopher, who was most recognized for his political theory and unparallel thinking on political and social arena .His political theory was that, human in his absolute form is peaceful and happy, and has the attribute of tolerance and reasoning in him…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER97.6% of users find it useful
Political Theory of Locke and Rousseau
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Political Theory of Locke and Rousseau"

? Opportunity Exercise Shaunte Bowman Western Civilization II P.F. Navage 4/9 Political Theory of Locke and Rousseau Political Theory of Locke Locke is a philosopher, who was most recognized for his political theory and unparallel thinking on political and social arena .His political theory was that, human in his absolute form is peaceful and happy, and has the attribute of tolerance and reasoning in him. He claimed that every individual existing in this universe, has the right to be here and none had the right to harm one another. Hence, Locke is known as the “Father of liberalism” The contemporary concepts like “identity” and “self” was formulated with reference to Locke’s “theory of mind”. He was “liberalism” advocating thinker and he considered authoritarianism against his principles. Locke was a British philosopher who also researched on medical field. Locke believed in freedom, and believed that none had the right to rule anyone instead, people should perform activities according to their reasoning. According to (Kemerling) “John Locke’s intellectual curiosity and social activism also led him to consider issues of general public concern in the lively political climate of seventeenth-century England” In terms of Locke, the formation of government can be connected to the human’s need to preserve and safeguard their property. Normally in the beginning, nature had no dominion on people, but it bestowed equal right to all on life and on nature’s resources. Locke claimed that, human sacrificed a portion of their freedom to safeguard their right to property. Locke studied government on three basis; reason for Government, its creation and limitation. According to Locke, the government through the ‘rule of law’ governs and protects people and their property. Political Theory of Rousseau Rousseau was a philosopher from Geneva, who portrayed his talent in composing and writing during 18th century. He has contributed genuinely to political philosophy and moral psychological field. He held a negative perspective on philosophy, and philosophical thinkers of his time and past. He advocated common men to act upon compassion rather than natural impulses .He was a thinker who emphasized natural qualities of human like morality, love, compassion and virtue. According to Rousseau, the development in the field of science and arts led to the destruction of human virtue and morality. This is one statement which led many thinkers to contemplate on in the future theoretical world. This thinking of Rousseau, also bestowed upon him fame and recognition. Rousseau claim is that human beings by nature are virtuous but got corrupted during many historical events. He became a prominent figure in history of philosophy due to his unique contribution emphasizing on natural state of human .According to Rousseau, human beings are good by nature, but the social conventions have corrupted them along the history. In his article (Younkins) writes that “According to Rousseau, in the state of nature, people tended to be isolated, war was absent, and their desires were minimal and circumscribed” Rousseau reestablishes the necessity of a governed body to monitor the social security and needs of human beings. According to him state would have been “class state” with no rights to poor and weak in the absence of Government. The Social Contract” one of his controversial work on political philosophy has raised many debates among his counterparts Age of Enlightenment and Locke The Age of enlightenment is a movement in 18th century where all the intellect raised awareness among societies to reform and adapts oneself to natural and liberal state. In the age of enlightenment, the social and political scenario of central European societies was pathetic, as the power was in the hands of rich and elite. When it comes to Locke and Rousseau, both had prominent role to play in reforming the society. One of the philosophers Locke can be considered as pioneer of “Age of enlightenment” and his book called “Human Understanding” aggravated his political views. After reading his philosophical work, people realized their human right and authority to demand equal rights. This awareness among people was initiated by Locke’s theory on politics, and his idea of “Liberalism”. During 18th century, the weak class in the society was suffering in the hands of wealthy class, and, ides of Locke awakened them to act through enlightenment movement. It is during this era; Sir Isaac Newton propagated his law of gravity which added to the credibility of naturalism based theory of Locke. In her article (Nay)writes that “John Locke believed that all people have natural rights from birth such as life liberty and property. In his article called Two Treaties of Government, Locke states the following. These same ideas are reflected in the United States Declaration of Independence”. Locke is the reason for the Age of enlightenment, and, reason for its advancement to Europe. Age of Enlightenment and Rousseau The theories of Rousseau had a significant role to play in enhancing the “Age of enlightenment”. Like Locke, Rousseau believed and put forward the natural rights of human beings and liberty as ideal principles of society. During, the age of enlightenment, Rousseau along with the other thinkers and philosophers questioned the dominating authority of church and state alike. Rousseau is a thinker, who did not believe in an authority, who need better quality of life than other. According to him, all has the right to live on the earth with equal power and freedom. However the government’s role comes in to play to preserve the rights of the property. When these messages were passed on to the society, people got enraged and a revolution broke out. Thinkers like Rousseau have had a majestic role to play during the age of enlightenment. Rousseau’s main statement is that human are basically good by nature but the historical and social conventions corrupt them in the long run. This is where the weak and the less able got awakened and a powerful enlightenment movement started. The age of enlightenment put forward the rationality and reasoning as a major force in human -kind, as nature is not self – ordering. This rational based “age of enlightenment “spread to the West from France and ignite awareness among the Americans. This in later times, led to the independence of America. Finally we could analyze that Locke being an advocate of “liberalism” and Rousseau being the pioneer of the “Age of Enlightenment” has contributed invaluably for the social upgrading of human rights and freedom in West So it can be well said that Locke and Rousseau are the cornerstone in political theory and age of enlightenment movement. Work Cited Kemerling, Garth. "Locke: Social Order." Philosophy Pages. Creative Common Attribution, 2011. Web. 9 Apr. 2012. . Nay, Annette. "Could the American Revolution Have Happened Without the Age of Enlightenment?." Three Peaks. N.p., 2001. Web. 9 Apr. 2012. . Younkins, Edward W. "Capitalism & Commerce." quebecoislibre. N.p., July 2005. Web. 9 Apr. 2012. . Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Political Theory of Locke and Rousseau Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words”, n.d.)
Political Theory of Locke and Rousseau Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words. Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/history/1447272-oppertunity-excercise
(Political Theory of Locke and Rousseau Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 Words)
Political Theory of Locke and Rousseau Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 Words. https://studentshare.org/history/1447272-oppertunity-excercise.
“Political Theory of Locke and Rousseau Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 Words”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/history/1447272-oppertunity-excercise.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Political Theory of Locke and Rousseau

Locke and Rousseau on Social Contract

The Social Contract: According to John locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau Locke's Social Contract As a political philosopher, Locke believes that humans have their own will and thus capable of making their own judgment.... According to him, humans have decided to form the society as it is not good for them to be alone in battling the challenges of life (locke 253).... For instance, they were mindful of the rule that they should not hurt each other (locke 192)....
5 Pages (1250 words) Research Paper

Jean-Jacques Rousseau - The Origins and Effects of Inequality

This paper "Jean-Jacques rousseau - The Origins and Effects of Inequality" focuses on the fact that Jean-Jacques rousseau was one of the most prominent philosophers and writers of the Enlightenment, whose political and social ideas influenced the French Revolution.... nbsp; … rousseau's ideas contributed immensely to the development of modern sociology, political science, and education.... nbsp; The Dedication to the Republic of Geneva summarized the essence of rousseau's views in the following statement: "If I had had to make choice of the place of my birth, I should have preferred a society which had an extent proportionate to the limits of the human faculties; in which every person is equal to his occupations, no one should be obliged to commit to others the functions with which he was entrusted; a State, in which all the individuals being well known to one another, and in which the pleasant custom of seeing and knowing one another should make the love of country rather a love of the citizens than of its soil"(rousseau, 1993, pp....
4 Pages (1000 words) Essay

Comparing Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau

By contrast, John locke believed that the original state of man was not as hostile as Hobbes thought.... In locke's opinion happiness, reason and tolerance were the core characteristics of the natural man, and all humans, in their original state, were equal and absolutely free to pursue things, considered as indisputable rights, namely “…life, health, liberty and possessions” (locke, 1990, par.... However, locke's State of Nature is not chaotic with every individual pursuing its own egoistic goals....
4 Pages (1000 words) Essay

Political Philosophy: Jean-Jacques Rousseau's Social Contract Theory

The author of the paper examines rousseau's contract theory that proposes that the people forfeit some rights to a governing body in order to receive the psychologically important feeling of stability in the form of social order through the rule of law.... hellip; Civil society, for rousseau, is based on convention.... The problem with rousseau's Social Contract, and with his consent theory, in particular, is that it seems to prescribe the complete opposite of what rousseau's assumptions about human nature, and the state of instinct, would necessitate....
10 Pages (2500 words) Term Paper

Can Rousseau plausibly be described as a totalitarian democrat

Jean Jacques rousseau has been a significant and accepted name that advocated totalitarian democracy.... In addition, Jean Jacques rousseau has been a prominent name and one of the greatest figures in the history of the French Enlightenment as he was one of the popular French philosophers whose ideas and thoughts persuaded the French Revolution.... In addition, more than just being a philosopher, Jean Jacques rousseau has also gained a prominent name as an author/novelist, painter, political and educational theorist/philosopher, musicologist, and composer....
9 Pages (2250 words) Essay

Jean-Jacques Rousseau: The Origins and Effects of Inequality

"Jean-Jacques rousseau: The Origins and Effects of Inequality" paper argues thta despite being praised for adoption of an evolutionary approach, rousseau turned the evolution backward.... hellip; Generally, the opinion of rousseau of the civilization can be formulated as follows: civilized people voluntarily and deliberately made themselves subjects for the rule of public opinion where the opinion of a single man had little to no value unless that man did not belong to the small group of high and mightiest....
6 Pages (1500 words) Article

Jean Jacques Rousseaus Social Contract

The paper "Jean Jacques rousseau's Social Contract" discusses that rousseau held the position that all citizens should be involved in voting for government leaders.... nbsp; rousseau took the opportunity while his friend was having an epileptic seizure to slip away through the crowd and abandon his traveling mate.... rdquo;  rousseau's mother died only a few days later on July 7 and his only sibling, an older brother, ran away from home when rousseau was still a child....
22 Pages (5500 words) Book Report/Review

Two Types of Liberty

The stance for locke and rousseau on liberty differs between the two.... According to locke and Hobbes, good and evil, left and right.... political theory in the 17th century, according to many historians and philosophers, experienced a similar rift.... rousseau's concept of liberty was developed from political and social theory that makes each citizen in a community obey only himself and remain as free as possible.... rousseau's concept also reveals the necessities that are needed in apolitical conditions for social acts making the citizen realize the freedom they have2....
6 Pages (1500 words) Essay
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us