Influence of Winthrop and Hobbes - Essay Example

John Winthrop’s A Model of Christian Charity and Thomas Hobbes’ The Social Contract have come to have significant influence on different modern ideas concerning governance and human rights. Such documents as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child have shown a lot of echoes from the works of Winthrop and Hobbes and these have ensured that their ideas have continued in significance into the modern world. Winthrop declares that despite all men not being created equal, with God having created the rich, on one hand, and the poor on the other, all human beings have a duty towards one another. Hobbes also espouses ideas concerning equality stating that despite people living in different conditions in life, nature has made all men equal and because of this, no one should be superior to another. A result of the viewpoints espoused by these individuals is that they have become an essential part in developing a system of governance that not only embraces democracy, but also guarantees the rights of all individuals in society. When one makes a study of Winthrop and Hobbes’ works, one will find that they are quite similar to the modern conventions concerning human rights as well as the rights of children. Hobbes states that all men have liberty to do as they wish and this is an ability which has been given to them by nature and as a result it an inalienable right (Hobbes 4). All men have control over their own lives and they can do everything that they believe is right according to their own judgment, thus ensuring that they remain completely free. An echo of Hobbes’ sentiments appear in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) which also declares that all human beings are born equal in dignity and in rights and that they are free to do what they thing is right according to their own conscience (“Universal Declaration of Human Rights...” 2). This declaration shows Hobbes’ influence on it despite its having been written some four hundred years before the UDHR was formally declared and implemented. This belief in the right of all men to equality as well as is based on a belief that human liberty has its origins in nature and that no man has the right to deny others the right to choose what they want to do with their lives. Furthermore, it is essential to note that Winthrop also declares that human beings despite not having made human beings equally, they are essentially free to choose what they would like to do with their lives and that the rich should not take advantage of their wealth to dominate others (Winthrop 1). Instead, all human beings should treat one another in brotherhood and this in such a manner that no one is subservient to another. The UDHR declares that all human beings have the right to life, liberty and security and that there should be guaranteed by their governments (“Universal Declaration of Human Rights…” 2). This declaration is similar to Hobbes’ belief in human liberty which is a life that is without any external impediments which might cause an individual not to live his life as he chooses. Liberty, according to Hobbes, is a lack of impediments which might take away the power of an individual to do as he wishes (Hobbes 4). He advocates for individuals to have freedoms necessary in ensuring that they only do what they believe is right through the dictates of reason rather than being coerced into doing what they do not want to. In relation to liberty, Winthrop declares that men are not made equally because of their own doing but because God has made them in such a diverse manner that they come to have a need for one another (Winthrop 1). The varieties in the human condition is not because some individuals are given prosperity while others are denied it, but it is because of the need to glorify God through ensuring that all men treat one another equally and live together in brotherhood. Therefore, in this case, the ideas of Winthrop and Hobbes come to manifest themselves in the UDHR article concerning the human right to life, liberty and security. Hobbes suggests that human beings have to give up some of their rights for purposes of the greater good because to retain all of one’s natural rights might lead to chaos (Hobbes 5). In this case, human beings end up surrendering some of their rights to their governments so that they do not have the ability to hinder one another which almost inevitably leads to conflict. By giving up some of their rights to governments, the latter have to guarantee safeguarding liberties as well as security of those to whom it has obligations. In relation to this, the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) makes it an obligation of government to respect the rights of children and to ensure that they are protected under national laws (“Convention on the Rights of the Child…” 2). This statement is also related to the UDHR article 7 which declares that all human beings have the right to equal treatment before the law and the latter should be guaranteed without any form of discrimination. In conclusion, the UDHR and CRC, which have become extremely in the modern world, both have some echo of Winthropian and Hobbesian ideas and these have had a profound effect on how they were developed. The natural rights of individuals are guaranteed by both Winthrop and Hobbes and these are also featured in the UDHR and CRC, which are document which feature guarantees to of human rights and the rights of children. However, one would suggest that because of its highly religious nature as well as its concentration on wealth and poverty, the Winthropian view is less applied in the modern world as is the Hobbesian view. This is because Hobbes’ The Social Contract retains its relevance through its continued use in social and political circles where it is a basis upon which the rights of individuals are derived. One finds that the Winthropian view is more relevant from an economic viewpoint of the modern world where the wealthy are believed to have an obligation towards the poor in brotherhood, while the latter also have an obligation to work hard to guarantee their own sustenance because as Winthrop states, it is for the glory of God. Works Cited Convention on the Rights of the Child. Adopted and opened for signature, ratification and accession by General Assembly resolution 44/25 of 20 November 1989. Hobbes, Thomas. “The Social Contract.” Leviathan. 1651. Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations, April 10, 1948. Winthrop, John. A Model of Christian Charity. 1630. Read More