The state of nature and social contracts
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain Thomas Hobbes’ ideas about the state of nature, the social contract and the role of a sovereign.
Key learning points
- Hobbes explains the state of nature and the social contract in his work 'Leviathan'.
- The state of nature according to Hobbes is everybody living for themselves.
- He believed that when people have unlimited freedom, it leads to chaos and a war-like scenario.
- Hobbes argues that social contracts limit our freedom but provide benefits such as security.
- Social contracts need to be enacted by a sovereign or ruler and work to bring the state of nature to an end.
Keywords
Authority - the power to give orders, make decisions and enforce obedience
Freedom - the natural liberty to act as one wishes
Sovereign - a supreme ruler
The state of nature - a concept that imagines life without society or government, with different philosophers seeing it as either peaceful or chaotic
Thought experiment - a philosophical tool to test ideas in hypothetical contexts, not real-world scenarios
Common misconception
Hobbes believed freedom is bad.
Hobbes did not oppose all freedom, but argued that unlimited freedom in the state of nature leads to chaos.
Teacher tip
Organise a class debate about the state of nature, with students presenting both Hobbes' view and arguments against it.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
5 Questions
Q1.What do we call academics and thinkers who study ultimate questions about existence, knowledge, ethics and reality, using logic to explore these topics?
Q2.Which of the below was an English philosopher (1588–1679) known for his political philosophy?
Q3.What is the name of the book written by Thomas Hobbes that argues for a strong authority to maintain order in society?
Q4.Which war did Thomas Hobbes live through?
Q5.What do historians call the eighteenth-century movement which developed ideas that challenged the authority of monarchs and the Church?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Match the keywords below to the correct definitions.
the power to give orders, make decisions and enforce obedience
the natural liberty to act as one wishes
a supreme ruler
a concept that imagines life without society or government
a philosophical tool to test ideas in hypothetical situations
Q2.When Hobbes wrote, 'Imagine men without civil society', what was he asking us to imagine?
Q3.What did Hobbes think would happen if people lived in a state of nature?
Q4.Which of the following is true of what Hobbes believed?
Q5.What is the name of Hobbes' theory which refers to an arrangement between two or more people or groups, where each promises to do something for the other?
Q6.Who did Hobbes believe should have absolute authority?
To help you plan your 8 religious education lesson on: The state of nature and social contracts, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 8 religious education lesson on: The state of nature and social contracts, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 religious education lessons from the Religion and politics in the Enlightenment: How were they aligned? unit, dive into the full secondary religious education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.