Question

What does Locke mean when he says, “the enjoyment of rights in the state of nature is unsafe and insecure?” Can you think of an examples of this?

Answer 1

Locke believed in a state of nature( no government) people would be unsafe and no one would be peaceful to each other. Hobbes was the opposite of that and believed everyone would help one another and be kind.

Answer 2

When Locke states that "the enjoyment of rights in the state of nature is unsafe and insecure" he is referring to the idea that a society without government or laws would be very chaotic.

Locke argues that if people are not held responsible for their actions by a set of laws or government, then people would act out against each other. This acting out can include stealing another persons property. To combat this, Locke believed that a government developed by the people was necessary. Ultimately, Locke believed the purpose of government was to protect people's rights (especially property rights).