Shah's Note: Hobbes, Locke & Rousseau in Modern Politics

This research provides a comparative philosophical examination of Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, concentrating on their distinct interpretations of human nature, the social compact and political legitimacy. This asserts that these philosophers delineate three persistent and conflicting forms of political organization: Hobbesian authoritarian security, Lockean liberal constitutionalism, and Rousseauian participatory collectivism. The study illustrates that these frameworks, rather than being historically confined, remain pertinent in influencing the normative and institutional underpinnings of contemporary political systems. It argues that modern governance does not represent the supremacy of any single tradition but rather reflects a dynamic interaction of various theoretical models, creating ongoing tensions between authority and freedom, individual rights and collective sovereignty, as well as stability and democratic engagement. The paper asserts that the persistent clashes among these paradigms are not shortcomings of political theory but inherent characteristics of contemporary political existence.