---
title: "State of Nature — AP Gov Definition & Exam Guide"
description: "State of nature is the imagined condition of humans without government. It's the starting point for social contract theory and the ideals in AP Gov Topic 1.1."
canonical: "https://fiveable.me/ap-gov/key-terms/state-of-nature"
type: "key-term"
subject: "AP US Government"
unit: "Unit 1"
---

# State of Nature — AP Gov Definition & Exam Guide

## Definition

The state of nature is the hypothetical condition of people living without government or laws, used by Enlightenment thinkers like Hobbes and Locke to explain why people form a social contract. In AP Gov, it's the logical starting point for the democratic ideals in Topic 1.1.

## What It Is

The state of nature is a thought experiment, not a real historical era. Enlightenment philosophers asked a simple question: what would life look like with no government at all? Their answers shaped everything that follows in [AP Gov](/ap-gov "fv-autolink"). [Thomas Hobbes](/ap-gov/key-terms/thomas-hobbes "fv-autolink") argued the state of nature would be a war of all against all, with life famously "nasty, brutish, and short," so people trade freedom for security under a strong ruler. John Locke saw it differently. People in the state of nature still have natural rights (life, liberty, and property), but there's no neutral judge to protect those rights, so people consent to government to do that job.

That second piece is the one the AP exam cares about most. Locke's version is the direct ancestor of the [Declaration of Independence](/ap-gov/key-terms/declaration-of-independence "fv-autolink"). If rights exist *before* government, then government's only job is to protect them, and a government that violates them can legitimately be replaced. The state of nature is essentially the "before" picture, and the social contract is the deal people make to escape it.

## Why It Matters

This term lives in **[Unit 1](/ap-gov/unit-1 "fv-autolink"): Foundations of American Democracy**, specifically **Topic 1.1: Ideals of Democracy**, and supports learning objective **AP Gov 1.1.A**, which asks you to explain how democratic ideals show up in the Declaration of Independence and [the Constitution](/ap-gov/key-terms/the-constitution "fv-autolink"). The CED's essential knowledge lists natural rights, the social contract, popular sovereignty, and limited government as the core ideals. The state of nature is the logical glue holding all four together. Natural rights are what you have *in* the state of nature, the social contract is how you *leave* it, popular sovereignty explains who authorizes the new government, and limited government keeps that government from becoming the very threat you escaped. If you can walk through that chain, you've basically mastered Topic 1.1.

## Connections

### [Declaration of Independence (Unit 1)](/ap-gov/key-terms/declaration-of-independence)

Jefferson's argument is Locke's state of nature in document form. People are born with unalienable [rights](/ap-gov/unit-3/bill-rights/study-guide/8ACJ8vcRoyV1USjaahKe "fv-autolink"), government exists by consent to secure them, and when it fails, the people can alter or abolish it. The Declaration is the state of nature theory applied to a real revolution.

### [Constitution (Unit 1)](/ap-gov/key-terms/constitution)

If the Declaration explains why people leave the state of nature, the Constitution is the actual contract they sign. Its structure, including [limited government](/ap-gov/key-terms/limited-government "fv-autolink") and popular sovereignty in "We the People," is designed so escaping anarchy doesn't mean accepting tyranny.

### [Federalist Papers (Unit 1)](/ap-gov/key-terms/federalist-papers)

Madison's line in [Federalist No. 51](/ap-gov/key-terms/federalist-no-51 "fv-autolink"), "if men were angels, no government would be necessary," is a state-of-nature argument. Because humans aren't angels, you need government, and because the people running it aren't angels either, you need checks and balances.

### [Individual Rights (Units 1, 3)](/ap-gov/key-terms/individual-rights)

Natural rights from state-of-nature theory become enforceable individual rights through the Bill of Rights. When you study civil liberties later, remember the logic started here: rights come before government, so government can't legitimately take them away.

## On the AP Exam

No released FRQ has used "state of nature" verbatim, but it's a workhorse in multiple-choice questions and in foundational-document analysis. MCQs typically test three moves. First, identify what Hobbes thought the state of nature looked like (violent, insecure, every person for themselves). Second, explain how Locke's version influenced American democratic ideals, especially natural rights and consent of the governed in the Declaration. Third, apply the concept to a scenario, like analyzing a failed state such as Somalia as a real-world illustration of Hobbes's prediction. For the Argument Essay, state of nature reasoning is excellent evidence when you cite the Declaration of Independence or Federalist No. 51 to support a claim about why government power should be limited or where legitimacy comes from.

## state of nature vs Hobbes's state of nature vs. Locke's state of nature

Same term, very different pictures, and the exam loves the contrast. Hobbes saw the state of nature as chaos and constant war, so people should surrender nearly all freedom to an absolute sovereign for safety. Locke saw it as mostly free people with natural rights but no impartial enforcer, so people consent to a *limited* government that protects those rights and can be replaced if it doesn't. The Declaration of Independence follows Locke, not Hobbes. If an MCQ stem mentions revolution, consent, or natural rights, think Locke. If it mentions fear, security, or absolute authority, think Hobbes.

## Key Takeaways

- The state of nature is a hypothetical condition where humans live without any government, used to explain why governments exist in the first place.
- Hobbes described the state of nature as a violent free-for-all, which justified a powerful government that trades liberty for security.
- Locke argued people in the state of nature already have natural rights to life, liberty, and property, so government's only legitimate job is protecting those rights.
- The social contract is the agreement people make to exit the state of nature, giving up some freedom in exchange for social order.
- The Declaration of Independence applies Locke's version directly, arguing that a government that fails to protect natural rights can be altered or abolished by the people.
- On the AP exam, the state of nature connects all four democratic ideals in Topic 1.1: natural rights, social contract, popular sovereignty, and limited government.

## FAQs

### What is the state of nature in AP Gov?

It's the hypothetical condition of people living without government or laws. Enlightenment thinkers like Hobbes and Locke used it to argue why people form governments through a social contract, and it's foundational to Topic 1.1 in Unit 1.

### Was the state of nature a real historical period?

No. It's a thought experiment, not a documented era of history. Hobbes and Locke used it as a logical starting point to argue about what government is for, not as a claim about how prehistoric humans actually lived.

### How is the state of nature different from the social contract?

The state of nature is the "before" condition with no government, while the social contract is the agreement people make to leave it. In the CED's words, the social contract is an implicit agreement to give up some freedoms to maintain social order.

### Did the Founders follow Hobbes or Locke?

Locke, overwhelmingly. The Declaration of Independence echoes Locke's Second Treatise on natural rights, consent of the governed, and the right to replace a government that violates rights. Hobbes's conclusion, an absolute sovereign, is the opposite of limited government.

### How could the state of nature show up on the AP Gov exam?

Mostly in multiple-choice questions asking you to characterize Hobbes's view, trace Locke's influence on the Declaration, or apply the concept to a scenario like a failed state. It also strengthens Argument Essays that use the Declaration or Federalist No. 51 as evidence.

## Related Study Guides

- [1.1 Ideals of Democracy](/ap-gov/unit-1/ideals-democracy/study-guide/OQLRlRV7Y0nYIiTdkhfa)

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