State Of Nature

Comparison Of John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau

by Milap Patel

Two Treatises of Government

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Section 1: Background

John Locke's Life

Quick bibliography of his life.

Jhon Lock's View On State of Nature

Locke claims that all men are originally in a state of nature in his work called Two Treatises of Government. In this state, Locke says the people are bounded by the laws of nature where each person lives, acts, and uses his possessions as he sees fit without an effective arching government. This creates a lawless community were people only benefit themselves. However, human, according to Locke, are supposed to protect the interests of each other as they are all equal children of God. He writes, "We are all the 'Workmanship' of 'one Omnipotent and infinitely wise Maker,' we ought to harm any others in their lives, liberties, or possessions." Locke, at the same time, also calls to punish those who intend to harm another by compromising his life, liberty, or possessions. He writes, "Every man has power to punish the Crime, to prevent its being committed again, by the Right he has of Preserving all Mankind."
Locke then moves on to talk about differences between the state of nature and the state of war. In the state of war, people exert unwelcome force on other people by interfering with their natural rights and freedom. This is mostly done without a common authority. According to Locke, a state of nature which at first is a condition of peace and mutual trust, quickly degenerates into a state of war when a crises or a disagreement arises between people. This happens because there is no overseeing authority in the state of nature meaning each individual serves as a judge, jury and executioner of the natural law. The natural law, or the "Fundamental law of Nature," as Locke calls it, is the right to self-preservation. It states that each man is empowered to do whatever is in his power to preserve himself. This leads to force and violence, the only resolution since common law does not exist between the people. In the end, Locke considers state of nature to lead to abuse and violence which in turn requires the need for a government to prevent it. This is the reason Locke believes humans form societies, which is to prevent being in a state of war.
Property is another key subject Locke brings up in the second treatise. Locke first states that the earth is considered the property of all the people where the people can use it for their collective survival and benefits. Locke writes, "God gave the World to Men in Common, but he gave it to them for their benefits, and the greatest Conveniences of Life they were capable to draw form it." Locke then considers the concept of individual property where individuals take possession of the things around them. He says, human nature is very much that of man as the property-acquiring animal. In other words, Locke is suggesting that humans tend to take possessions around them and call it their property. This, however, bring up the question of ownership. Locke defines ownership as labor preformed by a person. He writes, "Every man has a Property in his Person. This body has any Right to but himself. The Labour of his Body and the Work of his Hands, we many say, are properly his...For this Labour being the unquestionable Property of the Laborer." In other words, Locke says that a person owns his own body and all the labor preformed by that body. Labor then leads to the ownership of property that the labor relates to. Now, when another person adds his own physical labor, which is his own property, to a foreign object or material, then that object and any resulting products also become his property. Locke ends the section justifying the need for a government to secure individuals property. As he puts it, the natural law dictates a right of private property, and it is to secure this right that government is established. Locke further explains this by relating it to the state of war. He call the state of nature "unstable" with no civil authority where people are in constant dispute over the ownership of their property. This prevents peaceful enjoyment of the fruits of their labor which are constantly threatened by war and conflict. This is the key reason why Locke calls for a common government where common laws can resolve the conflicts without resorting to a state of war. Locke writes, "protection of property is the great and chief end of Men's uniting into a commonwealth."

Jean-Jacques Rousseau Life

Quick bibliography of his life.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau View On State Of Nature

Explain his view on the state of human nature.