John Locke And Jean-Jacques Rousseau's Analysis

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John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau present powerful arguments on a wide array of topics in their respective works. Locke’s Second Treatise of Government (1982) discusses how man’s natural inclination for property brings him into civil society. All individuals are equal, and the community is free. However, man is in a constant state of fear and uncertainty trying to preserve his welfare. As man ultimately wants to improve his life, the preservation and protection of property are perceived as sacred to mankind. For Locke, property is not simply land, but all property, including one's person. On the other hand, Rousseau’s Discourse on Inequality (1964) maintains that while property ownership inclines man to improve his life, man’s desires for