Conflicting Ideologies Concerning the Right for Organized Rebellion

Hobbes and Locke’s conflicting ideologies largely center around the concept of what gives a government its authority. Hobbes believed that human beings were “organisms in motion” who need a governmental authority construct to prevent them from solely living for selfish means. The selfish nature of human beings is visible in the actions of the dictatorship in Syria in the years prior to the entire Syrian conflict. In addition, it is also visible currently in the actions of certain individuals who are setting themselves on fire for political gains. These actions are selfishly fueled and demonstrate Hobbes’ idea that human beings need a governmental authority to keep their selfish natures in check. On the other hand, Locke believes in human agency that is “lent” to governments to protect the inherent rights of its people. This concept can be seen throughout the Syrian conflict. People are uprising in the first place because they feel that their inherent rights are being violated. Locke stated that if a government were violating the rights of its people, then the people had the right to change or overthrow it. Therefore, Locke’s assertions justify the Syrian conflict as a whole.

https://restlessgeneric.wordpress.com/2012/05/05/al-assad-and-syria-john-lockes-political-theory-in-the-syrian-uprising/

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