AP® EUROPEAN HISTORY 2008 SCORING GUIDELINES (Form B)

EUROPEAN HISTORY

2008 SCORING GUIDELINES (Form B)

Question 7

Compare and contrast the political ideas of Hobbes and Locke.

9–8 Points

• Thesis clearly compares and contrasts the political ideas of Hobbes and Locke, either in general

terms or in specific ways.

• Organization is clear, consistently followed, and effective in support of the argument.

• Essay is well balanced; the political ideas of these thinkers are both compared and contrasted.

• At least multiple (three to four) political ideas of each man are discussed when comparing and

contrasting these thinkers.

• May contain minor errors that do not detract from the argument.

7–6 Points

• Thesis clearly compares and contrasts the political ideas of Hobbes and Locke, either in general

terms or in specific ways.

• Organization is clear and effective in support of the argument but not consistently followed.

• The political ideas of these thinkers are both compared and contrasted, but equal attention may

not be given to both areas.

• At least several (two to three) political ideas of each man are discussed when comparing and

contrasting these thinkers.

• May contain a major error or several minor errors that detract from the argument.

5–4 Points

• Thesis is clear but not fully responsive to the question; the political ideas may be compared OR

contrasted.

• Organization is clear and effective in support of the argument but not consistently followed.

• Essay shows some imbalance; may examine similarities OR differences in the political thought of

the two men.

• May describe the political thought of Hobbes and Locke with no effort at comparison OR contrast.

• May examine similarities and differences in a balanced but superficial manner, with few or no

details.

• May contain a few major errors that detract from the argument.

3–2 Points

• No explicit thesis or a thesis that merely repeats/paraphrases the prompt.

• Organization is unclear and ineffective.

• Essay may confuse the two figures OR their political ideas or may discuss only politics in the

seventeenth century.

•

No attempt at analysis; factual information is limited.

• May contain several major errors that detract from the argument.

1–0 Points

• No discernable attempt at a thesis.

• No discernable organization.

• One or none of the major topics suggested by the prompt is mentioned.

• Little or no supporting evidence is used.

• May contain numerous errors that detract from the argument.

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EUROPEAN HISTORY

2008 SCORING GUIDELINES (Form B)

Question 7 Historical Background

This is a traditional question. It asks students to identify the differences and similarities in the political

writings of Hobbes and Locke. Students need to understand the writings as well as be able to compare and

contrast their content. Students might do this by using context as a vehicle and focusing their discussion

on direct comparisons of major points in the works of the two writers. This is, in many respects, a Palmer

question.

Although a traditional question, it is more challenging than it seems at first glance. It is far easier for

students to contrast than to compare the political ideas of Hobbes and Locke. An acceptable comparison is

one that discusses, for example, the fact that each man believed that government was necessary. In

addition, the question asks about the political ideas of each man. Many students will include information

on each man’s views regarding human nature. As long as they show how these ideas shaped the political

ideas, this information is relevant. An essay that deals only with their views on human nature is off task

entirely, however.

Textbook Material

Burns et al., Western Civilizations (9th edition, 1980)

Chambers et al., The Western Experience (9th edition, 2007)

Hause and Maltby, Essentials of Western Civilization (2nd edition, 2008)

Hunt, The Making of the West (2nd edition, 2005)

Kishlansky, Civilization in the West (7th edition, 2008)

Kagan, The Western Heritage (9th edition, 2007)

Lerner and Burns, Western Civilizations (1st edition, 1993)

Merriman, Modern Europe from the Renaissance to the Present (2nd edition, 2004)

Noble et al., Western Civilization: Beyond Boundaries (4th edition, 2007)

Palmer et al., A History of the Modern World (12th edition, 2007)

Spielvogel, Western Civilization Since 1300 (6th edition, 2006)

The textbooks do not present the same interpretations of the two thinkers. There is even an instance of

contradiction. We need to be careful as we score this question that students are not penalized for the

textbook they have used. The books tend to emphasize differences, but many books also note their

similarities. Even the better essays will have more to say about the differences than the similarities. Locke

may be wrongly identified as a supporter of democracy.

Hobbes’

Leviathan

• Kishlansky: Government formed for self-preservation and to escape the brutal state of nature.

Rulers rule; subjects obey.

• Palmer: Sees Hobbes as materialistic and atheistic. Hobbes believed men were unable to govern

themselves. From fear and to retain order, men make a contract giving up personal freedom to the

ruler who has absolute unrestricted power in return for security, peace, and the rule of law.

Government was created by and for humans.

• Burns: Compares Hobbes and Bodin. There is no limit on the ruler’s authority. Burns uses words

like “ruthless,” “trample on,” and “tyrannize” to illustrate the power of the ruler.

• Hause and Maltby: See Leviathan as a consequence of the English Civil War requiring an

autocratic superstate.

• Kagan: All people have the right to everything, and equality breeds perpetual enmity. Hobbes’

politically organized society and state was to deliver people from a corrupt government: social

contract.

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EUROPEAN HISTORY

2008 SCORING GUIDELINES (Form B)

Question 7 Historical Background (continued)

• Noble: Hobbes compared the state to a machine running by laws and maintained by the ruler.

Citizens were seen as potentially equal and constrained neither by morality nor natural obedience.

• Merriman: Compares Hobbes and Locke. Both believed government is for the good of mankind.

Hobbes says individuals surrender rights for protection. In analyses of Hobbes, many variations of

his statement that life outside of government was “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short” can be

seen.

Locke’s

Two Treatises on Civil Government

• Kishlansky: Locke developed the contract theory of government. Individuals join for their own well

being. Government protects natural rights: life, liberty, property.

• Palmer: Like Hobbes, Locke sees government for human good and as a contract. But since people

learn from experience, they can be enlightened by education. Government is established to enforce

natural rights. The social contract has mutual obligations: rationality and responsibility. Locke

admits the right of people to resist bad government.

• Burns: Via the social contract, people bestowed on government the executive power of the law of

nature. Rights not expressly surrendered are reserved for the people. The right to overthrow a

tyrannical government exists.

• Chambers: Locke learned from Hobbes. The state of nature is a state of war. Contract government

ends anarchy that preceded civil society. However, three rights (life, liberty, and property) are

inalienable without the consent of the governed. Consent is granted through the representative

assembly of men of property.

• Kagan: The law of nature creates everyone equal and independent; people in nature are reasonable

and able to function but establish government to solve problems and facilitate social life.

Government should primarily protect property.

• Hunt: Hobbes and Locke saw all people have a state of nature; Locke’s definition of nature is

peaceful. Locke emphasized the importance of property.

• Spielvogel: The state of nature, according to Locke, is equality and freedom: “community

perpetually retains supreme power.”

• Noble: People, according to Locke, were capable of self-restraint and mutual respect in the pursuit

of self-interest. Locke envisioned a political society based on human rights.

• Merriman: Locke concluded that the rights of individuals are protected by parliamentary limits on

monarchical prerogatives.

Major Points of Comparison between Hobbes (1588–1679) and Locke (1632–1704)

Political ideas

• Both agree that governments do not originate from God.

• Both agree that governments must be created by man.

• Both agree that governments should be established in accordance with natural laws.

• Both agree that governments should be rationally, ethically, and consciously conceived.

• Both agree that governments must be based on a contract between those governed and the

government.

Other ideas (Some of these may be used to explain the underpinnings of each man’s political thought.)

• Both reject the cynicism of Machiavelli.

• Both wrote in the seventeenth century.

• Both were heavily influenced by the rationality of the Scientific Revolution, 1600–1700.

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EUROPEAN HISTORY

2008 SCORING GUIDELINES (Form B)

Question 7 Historical Background (continued)

• Both were heavily influenced by the events of the English Civil War, 1642-49.

• Both backed a specific side in the English Civil War.

• Both agree that governments are necessary.

• Both agree that man’s true character can be found in a “state of nature.”

Major Points of Contrast between Hobbes and Locke

Political ideas

• Hobbes argued for royal absolutism, while Locke argued for constitutionalism.

• Hobbes believed that once governments are established, they may not be challenged and

overthrown, while Locke believed that if the social contract is violated, the governed have the right

to overthrow the government.

• Hobbes backed the king, while Locke backed Parliament in the English Civil War.

Other ideas (Some of these may be used to explain the underpinnings of each man’s political thought.)

• Hobbes backed the losing side, while Locke backed the winning side in the English Civil War.

• Hobbes believed that man’s state of nature was violent and selfish, while Locke believed that

man’s state of nature was peaceful and reasonable.

• Hobbes had little interest in private property, while Locke argued that private property was a

cornerstone of government.

Key Dates

1642-49: English Civil War.

1649: Execution of Charles I.

1649-59: Interregnum (Republic, then Protectorate).

1658: Death of Cromwell.

1660: Restoration of the monarchy (Charles II returned from France).

1685-88: Reign of James II.

1688-89: “Glorious Revolution.”

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EUROPEAN HISTORY

2008 SCORING COMMENTARY (Form B)

Question 7

Sample: 7A

Score: 9

This is a beautifully written essay. It compares and contrasts the political ideas of the two thinkers with

plenty of specifics; it also gives relevant historical information to show why the two men had different

philosophies about human nature and government. The coherent argument and wealth of supporting

detail makes this one of the superior essays that unquestionably merits a score of 9.

Sample: 7B

Score: 4

The thesis of this essay compares the two thinkers’ ideas in general terms and contrasts them in specific

terms. However, the student understands Locke better than Hobbes, stating that Hobbes believed in a

democracy and thought people retained the right to revolt. Thus, there is only a minimal amount of correct

information on Hobbes (all in the first paragraph), which lowered the score to 4 rather than 5.

Sample: 7C

Score: 3

This essay’s thesis focuses on Hobbes’s and Locke’s different views of human nature, and the rest of the

response attempts to show how these views influenced their political ideas. There is minimal discussion of

political ideas, however, and Locke is incorrectly identified as a supporter of democracy, although correctly

described as an opponent of absolute monarchy. The essay attained a score higher than 2 because it

moves from ideas about human nature to ideas about government, so it provides some factual information.

It did not earn a 4 because it describes the two men’s political thought in overly reductionist form.

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