Top 5 books Locke would own

1) The Dream of Enlightenment: The Rise of Modern Philosophy
By: Anthony Gottlieb
Summary Link: https://www.amazon.com/Dream-Enlightenment-Rise-Modern-Philosophy/dp/1631492969/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1535296618&sr=8-6&keywords=enlightenment

2) Social Movements and the New State: The Fate of Pro-Democracy Organizations When Democracy Is Won
By: Brian K. Grodsky
Summary Link: https://www.amazon.com/Social-Movements-State-Pro-Democracy-Organizations/dp/0804782326

3) The Enlightenment
By: Dorinda Outram
Summary Link: https://www.amazon.com/Enlightenment-New-Approaches-European-History/dp/1107636574/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1535298235&sr=8-10&keywords=enlightenment

4) God's Fury, England's Fire: A New History of the English Civil Wars
By: Micheal Braddick
Summary Link: https://www.amazon.com/Gods-Fury-Englands-Fire-History/dp/0141008970/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1535311891&sr=8-4&keywords=english+civil+war

5) English Civil War: A History From Beginning to End
By: Hourly History
Summary Link: https://www.amazon.com/English-Civil-War-History-Beginning/dp/1537585177/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1535312248&sr=8-12&keywords=english+civil+war

Top 5 books Hobbes would own

1) Louis XIV and Absolutism: A Brief Study with Documents (The Bedford Series in History and Culture)
By: William Beik
Summary Link:  https://www.amazon.com/Louis-XIV-Absolutism-Documents-Bedford/dp/031213309X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535295285&sr=8-1&keywords=absolutism


2)Absolutism and Society in Seventeenth-Century France: State Power and Provincial Aristocracy in Languedoc
By: William Beik
Summary Link: https://www.amazon.com/Absolutism-Society-Seventeenth-Century-France-Aristocracy/dp/0521367824/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1535295356&sr=8-2-fkmr0&keywords=pro+absolutism

3)Lineages of the Absolutist State
By: Perry Anderson
Summary Link: https://www.amazon.com/Lineages-Absolutist-State-Perry-Anderson/dp/086091710X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1535295814&sr=8-2&keywords=Lineages+of+the+Absolutist+State

4)Absolutism in Central Europe
By: Peter Wilson
Summary Link: https://www.amazon.com/Absolutism-Central-Europe-Historical-Connections/dp/0415150434/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535296101&sr=8-1&keywords=Absolutism+in+central+Europe

5)The Age of Absolutism 1660-1815
By: Max Beloff
Summary Link: https://www.amazon.com/Age-Absolutism-1660-1815-Routledge-Revivals/dp/0415736633/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535296289&sr=8-1&keywords=Age+of+Absolutism+1660-1815

Agree or Disagree with critiques on both Philosophers

1) A sovereign violates individual rights extensively.


I agree with Hobbes critique that a king with absolute power will be corrupt and become a tyrant. I agree with this because when someone is given too much power and is not regulated he or she will abuse it. And this causes the people to be disgruntled and overthrow the king, an example of this is the French revolution.


1) Elected representatives are more interested in getting reelected than peoples rights.

2) America is becoming a less christian nation and hence becoming more corrupt and selfish


I disagree with Locke's critique because not all elected representatives are more interested in getting re-elected than helping out the people. This may be true in some cases but in most the representative wants to do its job and represent its people because he or she is in charge of what to do in a serious situation. I also disagree with Locke’s critique about America becoming less christian meaning that it will become corrupt, I believe that religion has nothing to do with being corrupt. Corruption is not related with religion, anyone can be corrupt or fair.

Which leader would follow Locke's philosophies, and which would follow Hobbes?

Well I believe that the former President of the United States Barack Obama would be a follower of Locke’s philosophy. I believe this because Obama (or any other leader in this time period) would not sympathize with having a king ruling their country, Locke wanted the people to be represented by the government and had the right to vote for their leader. Obama was elected into Presidency and he represented and favored the people.

A former leader that would side with Hobbes ideas would be Queen Elizabeth or any other monarch that still remains. Even though the Kings and Queens that are alive to this day don't have any governmental power I believe they would like to have the power their ancestors had of total rule. Queen Elizabeth is traditionalist and might agree with Hobbes that Kings and Queens are necessary. Also most monarchs today believe they are better than anyone else which leads me to believe that they think they have the right to rule.

Which Philosopher's ideas would be most useful today?

John Locke and Thomas hobbes had very distinct philosophies. John Locke believed that there should be no absolute government and the people choose their leaders and have a voice in the government. Thomas Hobbes believed that a king was necessary because without him the country would go to ruin. Hobbes also stated that a King would serve his people and it would be easier to have a king than to have multiple leaders ruling a country. Locke’s ideas would be more useful than Hobbes today, the reason for this is Locke believed in democracy and how the people should elect their leader than being forced to acknowledge one. Locke also believed in human rights of freedom and how they should not be limited by someone such as the king. These basic principles are the foundation of most countries today.

Locke’s ideas would be of better use than Hobbe’s because Locke did not believe in a king or in any government that was absolute. Locke preferred a government that represented the people, in the Document John Locke it states, “Locke favored a representative government such as the English Parliament, which had its hereditary House of Lords and an elected House of Commons.” Locke favored the Parliament because it also limited the power of the king. Almost every country nowadays uses a democratic government which is the people elect their leaders, whether if it's for a president or a district leader they must have an election, the people get to have a say in the government is one of Locke’s beliefs. Locke also believed in the god given right of freedom, the ability to obtain property, and not having anyone tell them what they must have ( this is now known as human rights).

Finally in today's ideology Locke’s philosophical beliefs of how a government should be set up would be more useful than Hobbes. The main reason for this is that Locke does not believe in such thing as a king or the monarchy itself, he opposes the king because anyone with such power would become a tyrant and would hurt the people. He also believes in human rights such as freedom and that no leader should ever hurt his people because without them there would be no leader. Locke’s ideas fit in more with today's society which makes his ideas useful.