Year Author Key concept of collectivism
1651 Hobbes The people forms a social contract (agreement) to form a government (society) in order to define the rights and duties of each. The final cause, end or design of men is in which we see them live in commonwealths for their own preservation and contented life.
1690 Locke Forming a collective to protect natural rights (life and liberty) of individuals and for the preservation of their property. Political power is only justified and lawful when consented by the governed (people or society).
1762 Rousseau Individuals submit themselves under the supreme direction of the general will. The general will is always right and always tends toward public utility.
1786 Kant The development of individuals is in conflict with the species, and only the development of the species counts. Progress could be attained by the species not the individuals. (Species refers to the collective).
1798 Hegel Individual realizes his true being and freedom by submitting to the laws and institutions that manifest the interests and will of citizens.
1941 Redfield Culture is a shared behavior and a human-made aspect of society.
1957 Tönnies The early model of collectivism and individualism is described as Gemeinshaft (community-focused relationship) and Gesellschaft (society or association-based relationship) in which communalism has to be prioritized as a characteristic of small, rural village communities.
1960 Gouldner Individuals are morally obliged to give something to the collective in return to something that is received.
1964 Rand Collectivism holds that individuals must submit his rights, life and work to serve the general interest.
1971 Rawls An ideal form of a society promotes the good of the members and the all or nearly all of its members accept the basic principles of justice and the structure of the political and social institution that satisfy the principle of justice.
1982 Peikoff Collectivism is a standard of value that represents the human affairs in a nation, collective society, community and race.
1990 Ostrom Collectivist relationship results to an obligation of reciprocity.
2009 Walsh The common good is an aggregated of private interests.