By Ryan Gorham, JMI Intern & FSU Senior, Political Science/Economics
During a recent discussion in my college economics class, taught by Dr. Randall Holcombe, an interesting question was introduced. The question was whether we thought our government was in the mold of a Lockean model or a Hobbesian model. This struck me as an engaging topic, as our country was founded on Lockean ideals:“Man being…by nature, all free, equal, and independent, no one can be put out of this estate and subjected to the political powers of another, without his own consent” -John Locke, Two Treatises of Government, Chapter VIII, pg. 79 Sec. 95Locke has outlined many of the characteristics of the Declaration of Independence, not surprisingly. Hobbes on the other hand felt that:“…every Subject is by this Institution [Common-wealth], Author of all the Actions, and Judgments of the Sovereign Instituted” -Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan, Part II, Chapter XVIII Paragraph 5, pg. 122 Hobbes expresses the opinion that it seems many of those in power in this country display in their tone of voice when speaking to the public about the actions they plan in moving forward.I feel that this country has not just moved too far down a path towards stronger government, but those in power seem to have shifted their thinking to another Social Contract Theorist entirely. It is no longer our Right to the fruits of our labors, but our Right to the fruits our Sovereign allows us to keep.
2010
