Essay On Mankind's Natural Condition

Does reflecting on mankind’s natural condition help us to understand the circumstances under which political authority is justified?

Introduction

This essay is intended to raise analytical arguments, critics and understanding on if, political authority is justifiable under the circumstances of mankind’s natural condition. By mankind’s natural condition we mean ‘state of nature’. A look at Hobbes’ theories will be empirical in analysing the relevant arguments.

Irrational vs. Rational (how can this effect or contribute to a political authority under the circumstance of mankind’s natural condition)

Political authority sets rules of which all follow and obey. Without this kind of entity people will be in the state of nature. Hobbes argues, that in the state of nature people are irrational and self-interested, being irrational will be chaotic according to Hobbes. Hobbes considered people to be like machines that needs an operator in that without an absolute operator machines seize to function or serve their purpose as they are meant to be. “Men are continually in competition for honour and dignity, which these creatures are not”. (Hobbes, 1996[1651])

Since people put

“Locke viewed society on a scale from subjugation to personal freedom and declared personal freedom to be the ideal. Hobbes feared anarchy” (Hillman, 2009, p. 2). But Like Hobbes, Locke agrees to a political authority but, he differs from Hobbes’ kind of political authority. If mankind’s natural condition in this circumstance is to reflect a justifiable political authority, Locke believes that, political authority, has to come from people, since mankind is rational and able to make decision based on his eternal morals, and the realities of alienable rights. Thus, "Freedom of Men under Government is, to have a standing Rule to live by" or, if in a state of nature, to be governed by "the Law of Nature". (Farr, 2008, p.