Locke, Hobbes and the Good Life: The Proper Role and extent of Government

The political philosophies of Thomas Hobbes and John Locke revolve around the proper role and extent of government. Their two philosophies have extensive similarities but in the end are wholly different when it comes to the quality of life they provide for their subjects. The differences lie in whether they provide mere life or the good life for their subjects. Aristotle laid out the basic ideas of mere life versus the good life when he stated: "When several villages are united in a single complete community, large enough to be nearly or quite self-sufficing, the state comes into existe…