# State of Nature — WHE Definition Discussion

**URL:** <https://community.worldhistory.org/t/state-of-nature-whe-definition-discussion/13380>\
**Category:** WHE Articles\
**Created:** [February 1, 2024, 9:57am UTC](https://community.worldhistory.org/t/state-of-nature-whe-definition-discussion/13380 "2024-02-01T09:57:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![markzcartwright](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/community.worldhistory.org/markzcartwright/32/35_2.png) [@markzcartwright](https://community.worldhistory.org/u/markzcartwright)\
**Post date:** [February 1, 2024, 9:57am UTC](https://community.worldhistory.org/t/state-of-nature-whe-definition-discussion/13380/1 "2024-02-01T09:57:52Z")

</div>

The state of nature is an idea which became especially popular with certain philosophers during the Enlightenment, notably Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679), John Locke (1632-1704), and Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778). It refers to a state of existence before humans joined together to make formal societies when they gave up certain individual rights in favour of collective government by forming a social contract.

* * *

_This is a companion discussion topic for the original content at [https://www.worldhistory.org/State\_of\_Nature/](https://www.worldhistory.org/State_of_Nature/)._

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![markzcartwright](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/community.worldhistory.org/markzcartwright/32/35_2.png) [@markzcartwright](https://community.worldhistory.org/u/markzcartwright)\
**Post date:** [July 29, 2026, 9:48pm UTC](https://community.worldhistory.org/t/state-of-nature-whe-definition-discussion/13380/2 "2026-07-29T21:48:54Z")

</div>