Locke believes that all people are born with equal right to freedom. He states that we are all in a state of nature, and the only way to get out of this state, is to surrender yourself to a social contract. He defines a civil society as, “those who are united into one Body, and have a common established Law and Judicature to appeal to, with the authority to decide Controversies between them, and punish Offenders, are in Civil Society” (p324).
According to Locke, you have to consent to give up your rights and freedom and in return you will receive security (P331). The society establishes a judicial power to impart justice. Thus, he sees the commonwealth as legislative power to make laws and executive power to enforce laws with public support,
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As they majority choose their government, they have the power to dispose it “and so constitute a new Form of Government” (P354). He states that the most important branch of the government is the legislative, as its purpose is “the preservation of society” (P356).
Hobbes like Locke means that we are in a state of nature, and the only way to get out of this state is to agree to enter a social contract. However, according to Hobbes we will always seek to break this contract in order to gain power. Therefore the only way we can ensure peace and security is by consenting to give all the power to one sovereign authority (P120). Hobbes argues that this is more than consenting, “it is a real Unitie of them all, in one and the Person” (P120) and that is the Common-wealth. The Leviathan, the sovereignty, has the power to do whatever to protect the commonwealth. Hobbes does not favour if the Leviathan is one man or an assembly of men. He continues by saying that there are two ways of attaining this Sovereign Power; acquisition which is force, or by institution, which is
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The subjects, the people, are not allowed to make new contracts or be obedient to anyone other than the Leviathan once they are a part of the commonwealth. If a man disagrees with the Sovereign, he must consent with the majority, if he does not, the only justice is to destroy him (P123).
The people are not allowed to punish the Sovereign; he is the only judge of what is right and wrong. He is the only one with the right to make rules, this is the only way of public peace. Unlike Locke, Hobbes does favour one type of government,