Evolution of Government During the 17th century, Europe went through a political debate over the structure of government. English philosopher Thomas Hobbes published his paper Leviathan during the Religious War. The Religious War was a time when Europe was trying to establish its own religion between French Catholics and Protestants and this process caused turmoil throughout Europe. Hobbes was exposed to the conflicts of the war in England, which dramatically changed his view of government and influenced him to move to France. Hobbes's views on politics and government were very different from those of fellow English philosopher John Locke in his Second Treatise on Government. Locke existed in a much later period in Europe, when the religious wars had ended and England had established the Glorious Revolution, a passive agreement between the Dutch nobility, William and Mary, and Parliament. The different time periods that Hobbes and Locke lived in and what they experienced had major effects on their thoughts about government. Hobbes' Leviathan and Locke's Second Treatise of Government had different views regarding man's state of nature and the social contract. Hobbes and Locke had opposing views and interpretations of man in the state of nature due to the environment in Europe during the time they lived in and status of government. At the beginning of the 17th century, in the time of Hobbes, Europe was in a state of chaos and violence. Hobbes argued that the reason was that if society left man in his state of nature, it would be brutal and cause more unrest among the government and public. This depiction of man left Hobbes in support of an absolutist government. Hobbes explained: “…and the…middle of paper……are evil in their state of nature and the public should have no control over the government system. This was a part of Hobbes's social contract in which he makes the agreement that man must obey the laws and rules of the absolutist government. Although the theory worked for Hobbes during the time he lived, Locke had a different approach to government in which society was more involved. Locke described man as a rational human being who pursued characteristics almost identical to those of an authority. Locke argued that a monarch was the best way to run a government, but argued that the people had the right to express their feelings towards the sovereign as a whole. Both Hobbes and Locke had different interpretations of government with their views on man in society and these views are what shaped their ideal forms and individual participation in government.