Topic > Comparison between Thomas Hobbes and Jean-Jacques Rousseau

While Hobbes and Rousseau address many of the same questions and topics in both Leviathan and the Discourses, the way Hobbes and Rousseau look at these issues such as, for example, the human nature, state and inequality are extremely different from each other. In some cases the opinions of Hobbes and Rousseau on these certain ideas are completely contradictory and opposite to each other. Although it is difficult to say which point of view, that of Hobbes or that of Rousseau, is correct, one or the other can be considered more valid due to its logic and reasoning. The view that Hobbes takes on questions of human nature, the state and inequality is more solid and logical than that of Rousseau. Rousseau believes that humans are not naturally evil and that in nature humans could work together for a greater good. This idea of ​​pity is mainly supported by the human characteristic of pity. Rousseau says that through pity human beings want to help their neighbor because they know that in the future their neighbor will be able to help them when they are in need. For this reason Rousseau also believed that a strong central authority was not necessary for human society. Rousseau believed that humans could live together in harmony and work for a greater good. However, Rousseau states that due to the division of labor that occurred over time, oppression and inequality began. Rousseau said that when a person decided to own a particular area of ​​land, this hypothetically began the entire division of labor and inequality that we have in today's society. Rousseau says in Leviathan that: “This repeated interaction of the various individuals with himself and with each other must have naturally generated in the mind of man the perception of certain relations... in the middle of the paper... to many of the same problems of other. That said, almost everything they argue is a complete opposite contradiction to the other person's argument. Many people would like to believe Rousseau's thesis that human beings do not need a strong central authority because they are born with piety, and that human beings are naturally kind-hearted people who care for each other for the good for everyone. This isn't true though, if someone looked back in history and saw all the times this isn't true, it would be obvious. Humans have always been greedy and competitive and have always had the desire to gain an advantage over the next person. For this reason, as Hobbes explains, a strong central authority is necessary for the improvement of the entire society. Hobbes undoubtedly has not only the most realistic perspective, but also the most logical one.