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Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau Compared | ISC Class 11

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Political ScienceISC Class 11 · The Origin of the State

Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau Compared (ISC Class 11 Political Science)

Updated 17 October 2026 · Fact-checked

Hobbes (Leviathan, 1651) saw a selfish human nature, a war of all against all and an absolute sovereign with no right of rebellion. Locke (1690) saw a rational nature, a peaceful but inconvenient state of nature and a limited government with a right to resist. Rousseau (1762) saw a free natural man spoiled by property and a sovereign General Will.

Understand Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau Compared

Hobbes (1588-1679), Leviathan (1651). Human nature selfish and fearful. State of nature a war of every man against every man, life "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short", no right or wrong. Contract driven by fear of violent death: each surrenders all natural rights to a sovereign except the right to preserve life; the sovereign is not a party to the contract and so is unbound. Sovereignty absolute, unlimited, indivisible, permanent. No right of rebellion, except if the sovereign threatens a subject's life. Supports absolute monarchy (an assembly could be sovereign).

Locke (1632-1704), Two Treatises of Government (1690). Defended the Glorious Revolution of 1688. Human nature rational, social, peace-loving. State of nature peaceful, governed by natural law with rights to life, liberty and property. Inconveniences: no established law, no impartial judge, no enforcer; each judged his own case. Contract: people gave up only the right to interpret and enforce natural law, not their rights. Government is a trust to protect life, liberty and property; limited. Right to resist and replace a government that betrays the trust. Sovereignty ultimately with the people; legislature supreme but limited; majority rule. Supports limited constitutional government.

Rousseau (1712-1778), The Social Contract (1762). Opens "Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains." Human nature naturally good and free. State of nature idyllic. Decline through population growth, agriculture, metals and above all private property causing inequality. Contract: each surrenders all rights to the whole community and becomes an equal member of the sovereign body. The General Will, directed to the common good, is distinct from the will of all (a sum of private interests); by obeying it one obeys one's real will. Sovereignty belongs to the people: absolute, inalienable, indivisible and not representable. Supports direct democracy; government is an agent. Influenced the French Revolution.

Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau Compared: key facts

Hobbes
  • Selfish
  • War of all against all
  • Surrender all rights
  • Absolute sovereign
  • No rebellion
Locke
  • Rational
  • Peaceful but inconvenient
  • Surrender right to enforce
  • Limited trust
  • Right to resist
Rousseau
  • Naturally good
  • Spoiled by property
  • General Will
  • Popular sovereignty
  • Direct democracy
Books
HobbesLeviathan 1651
LockeTwo Treatises 1690
RousseauSocial Contract 1762

How to answer Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau Compared questions

Expect 4-mark single-thinker questions and 8-mark comparisons on five points.

  1. 1Use a fixed order: human nature, state of nature, contract, sovereignty, government.
  2. 2Quote the book and year.
  3. 3Give the right to resist or not.
  4. 4For comparisons, use a table of five points.

Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau Compared in real life

The idea, met in an everyday situation. Answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.

Matching a situation to the thinkers

Suppose a small community decides that all citizens will meet in one assembly and make every law themselves, without elected representatives.

Whose idea does this reflect, and how would Locke and Hobbes view it?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Rousseau: sovereignty belongs to the people, is not representable, and is exercised directly through the General Will. This is direct democracy.
  2. Locke: the people are ultimately sovereign, but he supports limited, constitutional government held in trust, with majority rule.
  3. Hobbes: sovereignty is absolute and unlimited, and the sovereign is not a party to the contract. An assembly could be sovereign, but subjects would have no right of rebellion.

Answer: The situation reflects Rousseau's direct democracy. Locke would prefer limited government held in trust. Hobbes would accept any absolute sovereign, including an assembly, with no right to resist.

Memory hook: Rousseau direct, Locke trust, Hobbes absolute.

Right to resist

Suppose a government seizes the property and freedom of its citizens.

What would Locke and Hobbes say?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Locke: the government has betrayed the trust and may be resisted and replaced.
  2. Hobbes: subjects may not resist, except if their life is threatened.

Answer: Locke permits resistance; Hobbes does not (except for life).

Memory hook: Trust betrayed versus obey.

Tricks to remember Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau Compared

Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.

  • HLR

    Hobbes absolute, Locke limited, Rousseau popular.

    Use it when: Government types.

  • War, Peace, Freedom

    Hobbes war; Locke peace; Rousseau freedom.

    Use it when: State of nature.

Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau Compared: solved examples

Ordered from board level to HOTS. Try each one before you open the solution.

Example 1: Book · 1 mark · MCQBoard level

"Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains" opens:
(a) Leviathan
(b) Two Treatises of Government
(c) The Social Contract
(d) The Republic

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. 1762.

Answer: (c) The Social Contract.

Example 2: Hobbes · 3 marks · Short answerBoard level

State Hobbes's view of the state of nature and the nature of sovereignty.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. A war of every man against every man.
  2. Life solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.
  3. The sovereign is absolute, unlimited and indivisible.

Answer: War of all against all; absolute sovereign.

Example 3: Hobbes and Locke · 4 marks · Long answerHarder board level

Compare Hobbes and Locke on human nature, state of nature, nature of the contract and right to resist.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Hobbes: selfish; Locke: rational and social.
  2. Hobbes: war of all against all; Locke: peaceful but inconvenient.
  3. Hobbes: surrender all rights to an absolute sovereign; Locke: surrender only the right to enforce natural law.
  4. Hobbes: no right to resist; Locke: right to resist a government that betrays the trust.

Answer: Hobbes: selfish, war, absolute sovereign, no resistance; Locke: rational, peaceful, limited trust, resistance.

Example 4: Rousseau · 4 marks · Long answerHarder board level

Explain Rousseau's idea of the General Will and popular sovereignty.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. The General Will is the will of the community directed to the common good.
  2. It differs from the will of all, a sum of private interests.
  3. Obeying it means obeying one's real will, so one remains free.
  4. Sovereignty belongs to the people and is inalienable, indivisible and not representable; direct democracy.

Answer: The General Will aimed at the common good is sovereign; the people cannot give it away or be represented.

Example 5: Three-way case · 5 marks · Case-basedHOTS / competency

Case: A table lists three governments: (X) all power with a single ruler who cannot be resisted, (Y) a limited government that holds power in trust and can be replaced, (Z) the people making laws directly. (a) Match with the thinkers. (b) Name the work for Y. (c) State which influenced the French Revolution.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. (a) X Hobbes; Y Locke; Z Rousseau.
  2. (b) Two Treatises of Government (1690).
  3. (c) Rousseau's ideas of popular sovereignty and equality.

Answer: (a) X Hobbes, Y Locke, Z Rousseau (b) Two Treatises (c) Rousseau.

Where students lose marks in Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau Compared

The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.

  • Mistake: Giving Hobbes a right to rebel

    Locke mixed in.

    Do this: Hobbes denies rebellion except when life is threatened.

    Usually costs: 1 to 2 marks.

  • Mistake: Confusing will of all with General Will

    Terms swapped.

    Do this: General Will aims at the common good; will of all is a sum of private interests.

    Usually costs: 1 mark.

  • Mistake: Missing book years

    Works undated.

    Do this: Leviathan 1651; Two Treatises 1690; The Social Contract 1762.

    Usually costs: 1 mark.

Exam tips

  • Use a table of five points.
  • Quote each thinker's book and year.
  • Attribute opinions neutrally.
  • Mention influences such as the Glorious Revolution and French Revolution.

Practice questions on Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau Compared

Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.

  1. Q1 · 1 mark · MCQBoard level

    According to Locke, the people have natural rights to:
    (a) life, liberty and property
    (b) only life
    (c) only security
    (d) power and wealth

    Hint

    Natural rights.

    Answer

    (a) Life, liberty and property.

  2. Q2 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

    Explain what Locke meant by the "inconveniences" of the state of nature.

    Hint

    No law, no judge, no enforcement.

    Answer

    There was no established, known law, no impartial judge and no power to enforce decisions, so each person was judge in his own case.

  3. Q3 · 4 marks · Short answerHarder board level

    Distinguish between Locke's and Rousseau's views on sovereignty and the form of government.

    Hint

    Where sovereignty lies, and whether government is a trust or an agent; representation versus direct democracy.

    Answer

    Locke: sovereignty ultimately rests with the people, but it is exercised through a limited government that holds power in trust. The legislature is supreme but limited, rule is by majority, and a government that betrays the trust may be resisted and replaced. This supports limited constitutional government. Rousseau: sovereignty belongs to the people as the General Will, and it is absolute, inalienable, indivisible and not representable. Government is only an agent of the sovereign people. This supports direct democracy.

  4. Q4 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

    Explain why Hobbes left subjects no right of rebellion.

    Hint

    Fear of the state of nature.

    Answer

    Without the sovereign people would fall back into the state of nature, so rebellion would destroy security; only if the sovereign threatens a subject's life may the subject resist.

  5. Q5 · 4 marks · Case-basedHOTS / competency

    Case: A critic says Rousseau's General Will can justify forcing people to be free. (a) Define the General Will. (b) Explain the criticism. (c) State the type of democracy Rousseau supported.

    Hint

    Common good versus private interests.

    Answer

    (a) The community's will directed to the common good. (b) The claim that obeying it is following one's real will could justify coercion of dissenters. (c) Direct democracy.

Test your recall

Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.

  1. 1.Leviathan year?Show answer

    1651.

  2. 2.Locke's book?Show answer

    Two Treatises of Government.

  3. 3.Rousseau's opening line?Show answer

    Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains.

  4. 4.Locke defended?Show answer

    The Glorious Revolution of 1688.

  5. 5.Rousseau supported?Show answer

    Direct democracy.

Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau Compared: frequently asked questions

Which thinker supports absolute rule?

Hobbes.

Which supports limited government?

Locke.

What is popular sovereignty?

Sovereignty belongs to the people.