Thomas Hobbes vs. John Locke: Who Is the True Liberal?

Thomas Hobbes and John Locke are often referred to as the premier liberal philosophers, a label which is actually misleading. The political philosophies of Hobbes and Locke are only similar in their methodology, not in their conclusions or in the form of government they advocate. In fact, the ideologies of Hobbes and Locke are so dissimilar they should not even be counted in the same category. Hobbes and Locke both begin with a theoretical "state of nature," which they use to explain how and why governments are formed and what purpose they should serve. …