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A Comparative Study Of Thomas Hobbes’s Social Contract With John Locke’s Social Contract In Their Political Philosophy
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Social
contract came about the need to find a form of association which will
defend and protect the whole common force the person and goals of each
associate and in which each, uniting himself with all, may still obey
himself alone. It is the total alienation of each associate joined with
all his rights to the whole community. He gave the reason why people
should obey the laws of government as contained in his book; ‘social
contract’. What can make it legitimate and not how the change evolved is
of his interest. This he explicates further,
The really condition of
man eludes empirical investigation. Our interpretation, therefore, must
take the form of a hypothetical account11.
According to him, man in
the state of nature does not need social attachment and moral qualities.
He is motivated by ‘amourde soi’ a natural sentiment. Which is directed
by pity and reason gives rise to humanity and virtues. Man has also the
reasoning power, free-will and capacity to become better. Man is faced
with the task of procuring the means for his own continuous existence
and as with the other species; they were guided in this effort by the
instinct12.
Due to the increase in the number of people in the
society, social bond is developed. The acquisition of private property
is also introduced. Man begins to look for what he calls ‘mine’. The
natural sentiments are replaced with the artificial sentiments (amour
proper). This produces injustice and all sorts of evils. An individual
begins to make for himself more than he needs. Intense and unhealthy
competition is inevitable under this condition. The political society is
established as a solution to the societal ills. It is established
through the contract or agreement to guarantee equality and protection
for all.
1 P. Edwards, (ed.), The Encyclopedia of philosophy, vol.7, (New York: Crowell Collier and Macmillan, Inc., 1967), P.466.
2 S. E. Stumpf, Philosophy, History and Problems (New York: fourth Edition, McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1994), P.233.
3 Ibid. P. 233.
4 S. P. Lamprecht, The Moral & Political Philosophy of John Locke, (New York: Russell & Russell inc., 1962), P.133.
5S. E. Stumpf, P.225.
6Internet Media: Hobbes’s “Moral and Political Philosophy†in http:// Plato.stanford.edu/entries/hobbes-moral/
7 Loc. Cit, P. 70.
8 Ibid.P.192.
9 Ibid P.193.
10 Internet Media: “Social Contract Theory†in Online Encyclopedia of Philosophy, www.iep.utm-edu/s/sos-cont.htm.
11 J.C. Hall, An Introduction to Political Philosophy, (London: Macmillan1978), P.85.
12
J. C. Ekei, Justice in Communalism: A Foundation of Ethics in African
Philosophy, (Lagos: Ream Communication Limited, 2001), P.144.
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