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    Hobbes - Leviathan

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    1) Hobbes argues that in a state of nature without government, there is a rough equality between all men in both physical and mental abilities. This equality would lead men to view each other as competitors and potential enemies in the pursuit of resources. 2) In such a state of nature without an authority to impose order, men's lives would be "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short." There would be a continual state of war as men fought each other for survival. 3) The only solution to escape this dangerous state of nature, according to Hobbes, is for individuals to consent to a social contract and confer all power to a sovereign authority, represented as a "great Leviathan

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    Hobbes - Leviathan

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    1) Hobbes argues that in a state of nature without government, there is a rough equality between all men in both physical and mental abilities. This equality would lead men to view each other as competitors and potential enemies in the pursuit of resources. 2) In such a state of nature without an authority to impose order, men's lives would be "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short." There would be a continual state of war as men fought each other for survival. 3) The only solution to escape this dangerous state of nature, according to Hobbes, is for individuals to consent to a social contract and confer all power to a sovereign authority, represented as a "great Leviathan

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    1) Hobbes argues that in a state of nature without government, there is a rough equality between all men in both physical and mental abilities. This equality would lead men to view each other as competitors and potential enemies in the pursuit of resources. 2) In such a state of nature without an authority to impose order, men's lives would be "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short." There would be a continual state of war as men fought each other for survival. 3) The only solution to escape this dangerous state of nature, according to Hobbes, is for individuals to consent to a social contract and confer all power to a sovereign authority, represented as a "great Leviathan

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    227 views2 pages

    Hobbes - Leviathan

    Uploaded by

    api-333357692
    1) Hobbes argues that in a state of nature without government, there is a rough equality between all men in both physical and mental abilities. This equality would lead men to view each other as competitors and potential enemies in the pursuit of resources. 2) In such a state of nature without an authority to impose order, men's lives would be "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short." There would be a continual state of war as men fought each other for survival. 3) The only solution to escape this dangerous state of nature, according to Hobbes, is for individuals to consent to a social contract and confer all power to a sovereign authority, represented as a "great Leviathan

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    1

    Excerpt from Leviathan


    Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679)
    Nature has made men roughly equal in body and mind. When everything is considered, the
    difference between one man and another is not very great. The case of bodily strength
    serves as a good example. The weakest man has enough strength to kill the strongest. He
    can do this either by some trick or by using a weapon or by joining with other men. The
    same is true of men’s minds. Inequalities can be made up by various means.

    The rough equality in ability produces in every man the equal hope of getting what he
    wants. So when two men desire something which only one can have, this equality
    encourages both to strive for it. They therefore become enemies. Each man tries to destroy
    or defeat the other in order to get what he needs to keep alive or enjoy his life. If we
    consider what men are like when they do not live in societies, we find that they become
    enemies. When one defeats the other, the victor must, in turn, expect a third person to try
    to take away what he won.

    So it is clear what men are like when there is no outside power to keep them all in fear.
    Such a state of nature becomes a condition of war. In such a war every man struggles with
    every other man. War does not only mean constant fighting. A period of time during which
    a willingness to fight is commonly known as accepted is also called war.

    So in the state of nature, every man is every other man’s enemy. There is no safety or
    security except one’s own strength and trickery. In this state of things there can be no
    factories or farming, no trading, no large buildings, no arts, no sciences, no society. Worst of
    all there would be continual fear and danger of violent death. The life of man would be
    solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short.

    This state of nature might not actually have existed but I certainly do not believe it existed
    throughout the world. Yet if we look at what men are now like in societies we can convince
    ourselves how men would be in a purely natural condition. At night we all lock our houses
    2

    and when we walk the streets we are constantly on guard. This shows that we believe that
    fear of an outside power keeps men in check. Nations and kings who have nothing to fear
    act towards one another just as we describe individual men acting in a state of nature.
    When a peaceful society falls into civil war we see what men are really like outside of
    society.

    The only way to erect such a common power as may be able to defend . . . from the invasion
    of foreigners and the injuries of one another . . . is to confer all power and strength upon
    one man . . . I authorize and give up my right of governing myself to this man, on the
    condition, that thou gift up thy right to him and authorize all his actions in like manner.
    This is the general of that great Leviathan . . . and he that carryeth this person is called
    Sovereign, and said to have sovereign power; and every one besides, his subject.

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