Why government 1 | PDF - Free Printable

You’re working on a comparative civics activity titled “Why Government?” that asks you to contrast the political philosophies of Thomas Hobbes and John Locke — two foundational Enlightenment thinkers who shaped modern ideas about government, human nature, and social contracts.

The worksheet is structured around three key concepts:

1. State of Nature
2. Social Contract
3. Government

You are to sketch or write (as instructed) how each thinker would answer questions related to these concepts.

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## ✔ Here’s the completed comparison for each section:

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1. STATE OF NATURE

> *How would it look? What’s happening? What’s not happening?*

🔹 Thomas Hobbes:
- Looks like: A brutal, chaotic, dangerous world — “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”
- What’s happening: Constant fear, violence, war of “every man against every man.” No safety, no property, no justice.
- What’s NOT happening: No cooperation, no trust, no laws, no peace, no civilization.

🔹 John Locke:
- Looks like: Peaceful, rational, and orderly — but lacking formal institutions.
- What’s happening: People live freely, using reason, respecting natural rights (life, liberty, property). Some conflicts occur, but mostly people cooperate.
- What’s NOT happening: No centralized authority or courts to enforce rights or resolve disputes fairly.

> 📝 *Hobbes sees humans as naturally selfish and violent without control; Locke sees them as rational and moral, capable of living peacefully under natural law.*

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2. SOCIAL CONTRACT

> *Who is involved? What is being exchanged?*

🔹 Thomas Hobbes:
- Who is involved: All individuals surrendering their freedoms to a single sovereign (like a king or absolute ruler).
- What is exchanged: People give up nearly all personal freedom and autonomy in exchange for security and order. The sovereign has absolute power to prevent chaos.

🔹 John Locke:
- Who is involved: Free, equal individuals agreeing to form a government together.
- What is exchanged: People give up the right to enforce natural law themselves (e.g., punish wrongdoers) in exchange for protection of their natural rights (life, liberty, property) by a limited, accountable government.

> 📝 *Hobbes’ contract creates an unchallengeable ruler; Locke’s creates a government that serves the people — and can be replaced if it fails.*

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3. GOVERNMENT

> *Who is the government? Does it ever change?*

🔹 Thomas Hobbes:
- Who is the government? A single sovereign (monarch or strong ruler) with absolute authority — the “Leviathan.”
- Does it ever change? Ideally, no — changing rulers leads back to chaos. The sovereign must remain powerful and unchallenged to maintain peace.

🔹 John Locke:
- Who is the government? A representative body (like a parliament or congress) created by and accountable to the people.
- Does it ever change? Yes! If the government violates natural rights or becomes tyrannical, the people have the right to overthrow it and establish a new one.

> 📝 *Locke’s view supports revolution when government fails — which directly influenced the American Revolution. Hobbes fears revolution because he believes only absolute power prevents collapse.*

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## 💡 Summary Table (for quick reference):

| Concept | Thomas Hobbes | John Locke |
|------------------|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
| State of Nature | War, fear, brutality (“nasty, brutish, short”) | Peaceful, rational, but lacks enforcement |
| Social Contract | Surrender all freedom for security | Give up enforcement power for protection of rights |
| Government | Absolute sovereign (Leviathan), never changes | Limited, accountable government — can be changed |

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## 🎨 How to Sketch It (if drawing):

- Hobbes’ side: Draw a dark, scary scene — people fighting, burning houses, a giant crowned figure looming over them holding a sword (the Leviathan).
- Locke’s side: Draw peaceful people trading, farming, building — maybe a town meeting or court scene. Show a balanced scale or a document (social contract) signed by citizens.

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✔ This activity helps you understand why governments exist — not just as institutions, but as responses to human nature and the need for order vs. freedom. Hobbes prioritizes order, Locke prioritizes rights.

Let me know if you want printable notes or flashcards for this!