John Locke vs. Thomas Hobbes

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

For me, the choice is obvious.

[© tweed]

Heh, this is the unit we're doing in SS right now.  Actually we completed it today.  Hobbes was a total nutcase.

[Michael Z]

Hobbes was a total nutcase.

Lol, he was. Unfortunately you'll find many people who agree with him, most of whom happen to be standing on the right side of the political divide. They often like to call themselves realists. You can basically boil down most major political struggles of the last few centures to an ideological struggle between so-called realists (inspired by Hobbes) and idealists (Locke).

[MaC]

Hobbes sounds like a little bitch whining about stuff here and there.  Before even reading his theories, I say Locke.  Right to life, liberty, and property baby!

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

Hobbes sounds like a little bitch whining about stuff here and there.  Before even reading his theories, I say Locke.  Right to life, liberty, and property baby!

Locke gave us the philosophical underpinnings of the American Revolution.  Hobbes begat Hegel, who begat Marx.  Basically all 20th century totalitarianism, left and right, can be traced to Hobbes.

[M]

No, Hobbes begat Locke AND Rousseau, who begat Hegel, etc. Hobbes is necessary for Locke to come about. Hobbes is also right about the basic nature of man (see New Orleans).

But yes, Locke has by far the more appealing and successful political theories, the foundation of our own system of life.