Thomas Hobbes and John Locke were both English philosophers in the 17th century, the very start of the Age of Enlightenment. Although Hobbes and Locke lived during the same time period, the philosophies they preached and political views they held were very different. Both sought to define the role of the state and its relationship with its subjects, but came up with different ideas. While Hobbes argued that an absolute sovereign was necessary to prevent anarchy, Locke believed that people had natural rights that a government could not deprive them of.
Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) advocated for absolute sovereignty. An absolute sovereign was able to hold total power over his/her people, stamping out any possibility of chaos or civil war. Hobbes called this absolute sovereign a Leviathan. The word “Leviathan” came from the mythical sea monster in the Hebrew Bible, but in the context of Hobbesian philosophy, it refers to a powerful state or sovereign capable of bringing the people together. According to Hobbes, granting people natural rights was one step closer towards anarchy.
John Locke (1632-1704) had quite a different view on the role of the state. He was known to many as the “Father of Liberalism” - Locke believed that individuals had natural rights, rights no one should take away. Everyone had the right to life, health, liberty, and property. While Hobbes favored an absolute monarchy, Locke favored a democracy that operated based on the consent of the governed. The government’s role is to protect the natural rights of the people, and if it fails, the people have the right to overthrow it.
Both Hobbes and Locke were part of the Enlightenment, but many other Enlightenment philosophers had views more similar to Locke than to Hobbes. Liberal ideas of natural rights, consent of the governed, and constitutional governments were largely products of the Enlightenment. Enlightenment ideas were inspirations for the many revolutions of western Europe and its colonies - crucial ideas outlined in the United States Declaration of Independence were inspired by Locke. Locke also inspired future Enlightenment philosophers, such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Immanuel Kant.
At this time, England would also go through a liberal change. 17th century England was dominated by the Stuart dynasty, absolute monarchs who followed a Hobbesian form of state. However the dynasty collapsed in what is now called the Glorious Revolution, where the pro-Catholic king James II was overthrown by a Dutch statesman, William of Orange. William then shared the English throne with his wife Mary. While ruling together, the monarchy shifted from an absolute to a constitutional one (with a Bill of Rights), reflecting the ideas of Locke.
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