7. modern political thinkers

7/31/2019 7. Modern Political Thinkers

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Niccolo Machiavelli

Thomas Hobbes

John Locke

Jean Jacques Rousseau

Karl Marx

7/23/2012 1Intro. to Political Science. Isiaka A. Adams


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Niccolo Machiavelli

Niccolo Machiavelli is the father of modernPolitical Science and the classic of modernPolitical Realism.

He stood between Middle Age (Theocracy)and Modern Age (Secular/non-religious)thoughts and institutions.

He pioneered the break away from faith-based politics in the West.

Machiavelli separated politics from religionin his famous book,The Prince.



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Machiavellicontd.

In the Machiavellian doctrine, the endjustifies the means: no morality in politics.

The ruler is above the law, he is not bound

by moral principles and he could use anymeans to meet political expediency.

He may employ cruelty, murder or any other

negative means to achieve his political goals.Machiavelli divorced ethics from politics.

His political theory is amoral/immoral.



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Thomas Hobbes

Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau are calledSocial Contract theorists.

They all emphasise contract as the

foundation of governance.Hobbes believes government is not from

God but men.

Men hitherto lived in a state of nature(natural condition) that necessitated a warof each against all.



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Hobbescontd.

In the Hobbessian state, there was no arts; noletters; no society; and which is worst of all,continual fear, and danger of violent death; andthe life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutishand short.

The people entered into a social contract withthe Leviathan (a powerful ruler) for protectionfrom pervasive violence.

By the contract, the people surrendered alltheir rights and powers to the ruler in order toprotect them.

Thus, Hobbes argues that sovereignty lies inthe ruler and not the people.

7/23/2012 Intro. to Political Science. Isiaka A. Adams 5


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Hobbescontd. Hobbes asserts that the people cannot revoke the

contract since the Leviathan was not part of it.

The ruler could do whatever he likes and the

people cannot revolt against the ruler. Hobbes ideas created an absolute, omnipotent,

permanent, universal and inalienable sovereignpower for the ruler.

His ideas support totalitarian and autocraticregimes without constitutional checks andbalances.



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John Locke

In contrast to Hobbes, Locke argued that thepeople created the government through the

social contract and based on their consent.

Locke insists that the ruler must protect thelife, liberty and property of the people.

The people have the right to remove, or revolt

against a ruler if he falters in his political duties.Locke asserts that the ruler has no absolute

power. His powers are limited by popular will.



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Lockecontd.

He emphasizes popular (peoples) sovereigntyas the supreme authority.

For Locke, supreme authority resides in the

peoples representatives in the legislature andultimately in the people.

The legislature and the executive, however,

have supreme authorities in their limitedspheres.

Locke is considered as the Father of Liberal

Democracy due to his liberal principles.7/23/2012 8Intro. to Political Science. Isiaka A. Adams


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Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Jean-Jacques Rousseau lived in the 18th

CenturyFrance.

He contributed to the philosophical foundation for theFrench Revolution of 1789.

In the beginning of his famous book, Social Contract,he asserts that Man is born free but everywhere is inchains.

Rousseau said life in the state of nature was good as

people lived as noble savages (like in haven) withneither artifice nor jealousy.

Men wanted more freedom; so they enter into socialcontract.



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RousseauContd

Rousseau favours the general will cravedby the whole community wants as againstparticular wills held be individuals and

groups.Those opposed to the ruler or the generalwill should be crushed.

Rousseau asserts that sovereignty residesin the General Will of the people.



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RousseauContd

The society make the people and not the otherway round; also bad people are made by thesociety.

He believes that a just society with voluntary

participation would make good people.

A good society would force men to be free.

He envisaged a perfect society of government by

the general will, which the ruler (dictator)claims to know.

Hes often criticized for promoting totalitarianism

but his theory is useful in developing democracy.7/23/2012 Intro. to Political Science. Isiaka A. Adams 11


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Karl MarxKarl Marxs ideas is generally referred to as

Marxism, which is opposite of liberaldemocracy.

His body of ideas based on history is called

Dialectical Materialism.Dialectical Materialism isthe Marxian concept

of reality in which material things are in the

constant process of change.This change is brought about by tension

between conflicting or interacting forces,elements, or ideas.



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Karl Marxcontd In the Marxist political ideology, Capitalism,

Socialism and Communism are successivestages of the development (changes) in the

human society.Marx says that the history of all hitherto

existing society is the history of classstruggles.

This class struggle will ultimately lead theProletariat (the working class) to overthrowthe bourgeoisie (the capitalist class).



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Karl Marxcontd

A classless society would emerge from theoverthrow.

Marx views the state as the instrument of

the dominant class.Eventually, when the class struggle is won by

the Proletariat, the state would wither

away.Many people confuse Communism with

Marxism and declare the latter dead after

the collapse of the USSR.7/23/2012 14Intro. to Political Science. Isiaka A. Adams


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Karl Marxcontd Under Capitalism, there is private ownership of

property and the owners of the means ofproduction dominate the workers through thepower of the state.

It is the survival of the fittest: The rich dominatesthe poor.

But the poor workers would continue to struggleagainst the rich class and the state.

When the capitalist class is eventually overthrown,a classless society will emerge and there will be noprivate ownership of property.



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Karl Marxcontd

Under the new order called Socialism, each personwill get according to his needs.

Socialism is the economic system of stateownership of industry for the good of the wholesociety.

It is the opposite of capitalism or liberalism. Itemphasizes collective ownership of the means of

production. Under Socialism, the state will still exist but it will

no longer support any group interest because thesociety is now classless.



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Karl Marxcontd

Marx says Socialism will induce efficientproduction and distribution of goods/services.

When industrial production is high, the Socialistsociety will develop into Communisma perfect

society without money, private property, police oreven government.

Under Communism, no one will break the law orbe selfish to want to take property for themselves.

However, the above are just postulations (Utopia)and not true as Capitalism dominates till date

whereas Socialism failed in the Soviet Union.


7. modern political thinkers

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