Comparative Questions

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1. How do the political theories of Locke, Hobbes, and Bossuet, as presented in this chapter, deal with the question of human frailties? How does the element of fallibility strengthen or weaken their arguments?
The political theory of Hobbes explains the nature of the state and how it is important. Locke’s theory is a view of government and the connection to human nature. Bossuet believed in French absolutism, specifically the divine right of kings. Bossuet deals with human frailty by providing proof from the Bible. He argues that king’s authority came from God and anyone who challenges it is wrong. He first states that God gave people a ruler. Then continues to say that people cannot misuse someone who is appointed sacred. He does admit that Kings should not use their power for pleasure, but have power that is restrained to be fair yet feared since the power was given by God. During this time, people looked up to the bible if people were in need or if they needed to strengthen faith. The Bible was a book that told people how to show faith and live life with morals that were good. This theory strengthens Bossuet’s argument because while he is trying to convince people to follow his French absolutism, he uses such a strong influence that people respected and wanted to improve in because they may be frail spiritually.
John Locke believed humans were granted reason and tolerance by nature. He starts with saying that someone has a right. And with reason, they can come up with an idea of future dangers associated to the common idea of something being right or wrong. Some people however may have frail reasoning skills. A person should do to others as they want to be treated because of having authority and having equality. Controversie...

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...elieves people should give up all their rights to the government. Even though the peasants that rebel is looked down upon, he could say that the government was trying to save reputation after the people in the rebellion were causing war. Depending on hierarchy that a person is part of or is not part of, the Lords were enemies to the uprising common people because the government was requiring things by force. Government force as in the way Catherine was using it would be advised to keep practicing by Bossuet and Hobbes because they believe in authority ran by the government. Bossuet would express divine right and that anyone who opposes Catherine would be wrong. Natural law needed to be practiced in society would be pushed in government, but limited to peasants by Hobbes while Locke would try to convince Catherine that the people needed to express the natural rights.

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