In the sixteenth century, the rise of the state and decline of the feudal system brought about the question of authority, whose is absolute, God or man? Should the state have power over its subjects or the subjects over the state? Soon after the theory of sovereignty and the theory of social contract were developed, but even these still drew debate.

Thomas Hobbes and John Locke's political theories have been influential ever since they were first developed in the late seventeenth century. During this time there was an outpouring of political ideas, Locke and Hobbes's theories stand out. Their theories are both psychologically insightful, but in nature, they are drastically different.

Although they lived in the same time frame, their ideas were derived from different events happening during this time. Hobbes drew his ideas on man from observation, during a time of civil strife in Europe during the 1640's and 1650's. Locke drew his ideas from a time where Hobbes did not have the chance to observe, the glorious revolution. At the time of the exclusion crisis in England, Hobbes was either dying or dead. These two time periods are very influential in the development of these two

It is easy to support one's views over another's but it is not possible to denounce one's as not being true or correct. Because they are along two different lines of thinking, their writings and philosophies can easily be argued against one another. While Hobbes's philosophy appeals toward absolute power and Locke's appeals toward the people, Locke's ideas may appear more popular but this doesn't mean that they are truer. It is only appropriate that these two great political philosophers be references to all great political thinkers to follow.

men's ideas. As you will see, Hobbes developed a pessimistic view on man from his dreary and bleak surroundings while Locke developed an optimistic outlook on man from his eventful and promising times.

John Locke's theories on government were deeply influenced by his predecessor, Hobbes. He too agrees that mans' state of nature is a state of war and that a contract among the people can end the chaos that precedes the establishment of a civil society but his conclusions were drastically different.

Unlike Hobbes, Locke believed that people, by nature are reasonable. He was the founder of empiricism. This was the idea that all knowledge comes from experience. While Hobbes believed that humans are implanted with the instinct to be selfish and ambitious, Locke believed that no knowledge is preorda

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