Final answer:
The fundamental principles of government are rooted in the protection of individual rights and the provision of security, as debated by philosophers like Hobbes who favored strong authority for security, and Locke who supported a government that serves the people and protects life, liberty, and property.
Step-by-step explanation:
The fundamental principles of government can be seen through the differing perspectives of philosophers such as Thomas Hobbes and John Locke. Hobbes believed in a strong authoritarian government that provides security and defense, while Locke saw the role of government as the protector of individual rights and servant to the needs of the people. In contrast to Hobbes' view that people owe everything to a strong leader and should follow the government's commands, Locke advocated for a government that exists to serve the people, one where the government is in charge of protecting life, liberty, and property and governed by the consent of the governed through a representative system.
Locke rejected the divine right of kings and supported a limited monarchy working alongside a central Parliament, influencing the formation of the American system of government. Additionally, both thinkers advanced ideas on the state of nature and the social contract, with Locke's notions of natural laws and rights such as the right to private property and free markets influencing subsequent political and economic thought. They emphasized that governments should be established with the consent of the people, bearing the purpose of safeguarding natural rights. However, whereas Hobbes thought a Leviathan - a powerful ruler - was necessary, Locke believed in the preservation of individual rights and self-governance.