The Freedom Of Speech By Thomas Hobbes - 874 Words

As Thomas Hobbes asserts in his book â€Å"Leviathan†, the foundation of modern society is built on a social contract between states and population to legitimate the authority of the state over the individual. A compromise in such covenants is the renouncement of certain â€Å"natural† rights by the citizen in return for the assurance of security. This, however, does not entail the forfeit of every single right and an absolute submission of the people to governmental authority. To ensure human dignity and to prevent emergence of an autocratic governmental system, the Founding Fathers enacted constitutional provisions determining rights of defense against the state. Even though these rights were not part of the original version of the Constitution, they were enacted through the Bill of Rights shortly afterwards as an amendment to the Constitution. One of those fundamental rights is the freedom of press: â€Å"Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speec h, or the press†. From the formulation of this provision the Supreme Court established for a long time that this provision would solely apply to the federal government. However, under the doctrine of incorporation, the Fourteenth Amendment imposes the First Amendment prohibitions on the state level. Hence, the First Amendment binds federal as well as state governments. Thus, the Constitution guarantees the free flow of information nationwide, which constitutes the fundament for and consequently is indispensible to theShow MoreRelatedJohn Locke And The Civil War1177 Words   |  5 PagesMichael Gilmore Mrs. Sauter World History 15 December 2014 People over People John Adams once said, â€Å"Fear is the foundation of most governments.† Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Karl Marx all grew up in a time of war and witnessed the same events that caused them to create their idea of government. Hobbes learned that people are naturally wicked, Locke learned that people all had natural rights. Karl Marx thought that the social order did not matter. All of them concluded that their governmentalRead MorePolitical Legitimacy As Viewed By Thomas Hobbes Vs. Malcolm X1586 Words   |  7 PagesPolitical Legitimacy as viewed by Thomas Hobbes vs Malcolm X In â€Å"Leviathan,† Thomas Hobbes believes that citizens choose to obey a sovereign leader in return for security and protection to from violence, chaos and bloodshed that is mankind’s â€Å"state of nature.† In a Commonwealth, the body of people agree to submit to a sovereign head of state to rule with absolute power, for the common good of survival and protection, be it given willingly by compact, or by force through acquisition, as outlined inRead MoreJohn Locke And Thomas Hobbes Compare And Contrast862 Words   |  4 Pages Locke vs. Hobbes Compare and Contrast Essay During and after the English Revolution (1642-1688), different philosophers acted differently towards the revolution , based on their ideas and personal experiences. John Locke and Thomas Hobbes stood out to be the most intelligent thinkers who argued in opposite ways. On the contrary they were similar in their approach for the use of reason. They both represented a trend in the 17th and 18th centuries to use reason as a final judgement. By analyzingRead MoreCompare And Contrast John Locke And Thomas Hobbes1680 Words   |  7 Pagesand Thomas Hobbes are one of the most influential and famous philosophers who both had similar theories but had different conclusions. The two philosophers wrote a discourse â€Å"life in the state of nature† and argued about the government. They both had made important and logical contributions to modern philosophy and opened up political thoughts which have impacted our world today. During the seventeenth century the thought of political philosophy became a big topic. John Locke and Thomas Hobbes bothRead MoreEssay On John Locke And T homas Hobbes1447 Words   |  6 Pagesand Thomas Hobbes are one of the most influential and famous philosophers who both had similar theories but had different conclusions. The two philosophers wrote a discourse â€Å"life in the state of nature† and argued about the government. They both had made important and logical contributions to modern philosophy and opened up political thoughts which have impacted our world today. During the seventeenth century the thought of political philosophy had became a big topic. John Locke and Thomas HobbesRead MoreLimitations Of Liberalism926 Words   |  4 Pagesthought. Based on the values of individual freedoms and equality, it is still an extremely popular view point today. In this essay I will analyze the limits, challenges, and conservative critics to Liberalism and its modern applications. In analyzing these short comings of Liberalism, the merit of liberal practices will naturally be highlighted. Liberalism developed in the Age of Enlightenment over the rediscovery of reason and focus on individual freedoms. In Republicanism people held a duty to theRead MoreImpact Of Enlightenment On The French Revolution878 Words   |  4 Pagesduring this time period in Britain, America, and France. These revolutions manifested ideas centring on government by consent of the governed, social contract, freedom, and equality. In the mid-17th century, philosopher Thomas Hobbes advanced the notion of the absolute power of government over the governed for the sake of avoiding barbarism. Hobbes also advanced ideas about social contract and the relation of the individual to the state that both Locke and Rousseau later took up. Locke was a tremendouslyRead MoreThe Age of Enlightenment in Society634 Words   |  3 Pagesstarted coming up with ways to break out of their suffrage. There are many that are still recognized today including, John Locke, Jean J. Rousseau, Thomas Hobbes, Baron De Montesquieu, and others. John Locke created a Treatise of Government where he shared his opinion on the importance of equality or the state of nature, which is â€Å"a state of perfect freedom to order their actions† (John Locke). Similar to Locke’s beliefs, Jean Rousseau disagreed with the acts of the king; although, Rousseau concludedRead MoreWhy Absolute Rulers Believe On Divine Right?1737 Words   |  7 Pageswas a formal summary of the rights and liberties that were essential to all people. Those included the right to petition the king, no excessive bail, and no cruel or unusual punishment. It also limited the monarch’s power and protected/allowed free speech in Parli. The monarch could not suspe nd laws or tax w/o Parli’s consent. Parliament should be held frequently and whenever there needs to be amendments or additions to the law. Where: England When: December 16, 1689 Why: William and Mary acceptedRead MoreThe Enlightenment : The Greatest Impact Of The Enlightenment945 Words   |  4 PagesVoltaire’s quote can be compared to Kant’s quote through cultural means, and they both mention very similar things. Voltaire explains what tolerance is and how tolerance affects man during the Enlightenment. Voltaire believed things such as Freedom of speech, and Religious toleration. He also believed in Deism, Religious philosophy based on reason and natural law, and wrote â€Å"Candide† which was a satire on society which mocked nobility. Baron de Montesquieu is another example of someone who made an