Throughout history, perhaps the most discussed philosophical couple has been that of Thomas Hobbes and John Locke. Because of their rigid philosophical views, these men were used as talking points in classrooms to implement discussions on a variety of topics. Hobbes and Locke both had their own, very different, views on a range of discussions ranging from society, to the role of the state, and even basic human nature. However, perhaps the greatest contribution was their very different views on how the law should be viewed. Both Hobbes and Locke are important to any discussion of law because they provide the progression through which we understand the modern social contract. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay While both of these men subscribe to the idea of ​​a social contract, which governs the rights and privileges we give up for the good of society, they strongly disagree about what exactly this contract is about. For Thomas Hobbes, to gain the benefits of society people must surrender their rights and liberties to a supreme ruler. Therefore, they retain no individual rights but instead submit completely to the whims of their ruler; according to Hobbes this creates the ideal society. Furthermore, according to Hobbes, rebelling against the actions of one's sovereign would mean violating one's social contract since a person gives up all of their civil liberties to become part of this system. According to Hobbes, this system of rights is one in which the total renunciation of one's rights guarantees a society through which the greatest overall good is achieved. Although John Locke also believes that people within a society have agreed upon a social contract, his idea of ​​such a contract differs greatly from that of Hobbes in that it allows for the maintenance of some basic human rights or principles. Locke states, for example, that when we accept the social contract we retain the right to life and liberty, and we also gain the right to just and impartial protection of our property. This means to say that, according to Locke's philosophy, people are not only able to maintain many of the rights and liberties that they would have possessed before society, but, thanks to their acceptance of society's social contract, they have actually received additional liberties which would not have been available. to them otherwise. The primary freedom that Locke believes has been added by adherence to the social contract is the right to impartial protection of one's property. That is to say, in a pre-social system, one's property could only be protected by oneself; thus creating a huge discrepancy in justice as those with more power could protect their property better. According to Locke, by adhering to the social contract people accept a legal system in which the property of all people is equally protected. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay While this pair of philosophers is often used in debates to provide two polarizing arguments, both John Locke and Thomas Hobbes subscribe to some version of social contract theory. Indeed, in many respects, John Locke's ideas, which many still interpret as the basis of modern government, are simply a progression of the more basic ideas of Thomas Hobbes. While Hobbes thought the social contract worked best when it abolished all rights.