Government Systems Through The Eyes of Hobbesian State of Na
Government Systems Through The Eyes of Hobbesian State of Na
Government Systems Through The Eyes of Hobbesian State of Na
Jack Cardiff
HZT4U11
Mr. Bain
Throughout human history many different styles of government have been used and
theorized on. Each of these styles interact with the natural state and behavior of man or our
human nature. The most accurate depiction of our nature is held within the works of English
philosopher Thomas Hobbes. Hobbes outlines his view of human nature as being naturally
selfish and greedy in Elements of Law, Natural and Politic published in 1655 and how the only
way this nature can be controlled is through a strong absolute rule in his most famous book The
government leadership and the Hobbesian nature of humanity, it is seen that a degree of
authoritarianism is required within a government to control our nature. The different forms of
leaves man too uncontrolled, communism is in direct opposition to the selfish state of humans
and totalitarianism takes the authoritarianism needed to control man's nature too far.
2017 ninety-six out of the one hundred and sixty-seven countries with a population of at least
five hundred thousand are run by. This makes democracy the most popular government system
globally. The origins of democracy date back to 507 BCE in ancient Athens when a statesman
named Cleisthenes proposed the idea where the people are given a say in government
proceedings; the people meaning those who are male, educated, and military veterans. This early
decision making characterized by a kind of equality among the participants at an essential stage
of the decision-making process” by the University of Stanford (par 3). And this definition is very
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fitting as the most significant property that sets democracy apart from other systems is that the
impeachments, protests and other mass votes like referendums. But what happens when selfish
nature results in media using its influence over the citizens who are incapable, for the most part
of discerning fake information from real information, resulting in tricked people then acting in
the media's agenda. A real-world example of this was the Brexit referendum where the largely
uneducated U.K masses could vote on a complex issue, causing people to rely on media sources
with their own agendas to gain information. This resulted in an outcome that has since had a very
negative impact on the economy of the United Kingdom; causing only one in five previously pro
Brexit voters to believe leaving the EU was the correct choice. The quote “A democracy is no
more than an aristocracy of orators. The people are so readily moved by demagogues that control
must be exercised by the government over speech and press.” From The Leviathan shows the
solution to this problem (Hobbes, 1651, Page Unknown). That being monitoring of the press to a
higher degree. In the situation of democracy Thomas Hobbes’ envisioning of human nature is
especially accurate, with his description of humans as being naturally very selfish and
individualistic. A case in point of this idea is the covid-19 vaccinations where many people
refused to receive the vaccination out of fear for personal livelihood and ignorance; without
thought of the rest of our society and the danger the fast-spreading disease posed. With the US
National Library of Medicine finding that “48.8% of vaccinated adults reported some level of
hesitancy” (Sharon Reece et al, 2023, par 3). So then, in situations like these were man's nature
of selfishness and individualism prevent them from making the more widely positive choice,
government would be correct in forcing the right choice upon its citizens. The only way the
people's nature of individualism and selfishness can be repressed is through a strong government.
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As expressed, democracy is a system that does present benefits. Those being the freedom of
choice, the representation of people in decisions made by the government and the ability to speak
freely of issues impacting your society. But the Hobbesian state of nature of people causes these
positives to quickly become shortcomings through a lack of education, selfishness, and greed.
Authoritarianist ideals would benefit this system in the ability to force good things upon their
people and would then in Hobbes’ view negate the state of man.
very far left of the political spectrum and is based on the political theories of German
philosopher Karl Marx. Marx believed that capitalism was enslaving the workers who became
alienated from the fruits of his own labor; and that this would cause a class struggle resulting in
the bourgeoisie being overthrown. He then believed the now united and in power proletariat
would begin the socialist phase where they would confiscate all private property, then these
properties would become government ran for the benefit of the people. Next the communist stage
would begin where the proletariat completely controlled all economic production causing classes
to disappear; thus, absolving the people from the need for government and money. This system
may sound potentially like the key to achieving utopia and a solution to many of our current
problems, namely the extreme power of the 1%. But communist and Marxist theories completely
go against humanities nature of selfishness and individualistic desires. Most individuals possess
an intrinsic need to be or feel superior to their peers, this creates competitiveness and often
anger; but it is also responsible for human ambition and drive. This drive for success and power
is illustrated in a quote from Thomas Hobbes reading “I put for a general inclination of all
mankind a perpetual and restless desire of power after power, that ceaseth only in death.”
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(Hobbes, 1651, Page Unknown). This need for superiority and power would not allow for a
society to be run on a large scale using a system that forces all to be equal and where all are
expected to do what work they can along with selflessly helping whenever possible. These
desires would likely manifest in selfish acts such as keeping supplies meant to be distributed
evenly; supplies meaning things like food, equipment, clothing and most significantly money.
Once the communist stage is reached and the government becomes dissolved the population
would likely be plunged into a state of war as we would quickly become violent without a state
to control us. This opinion is expressed in another quote from Hobbes’ masterpiece The
Leviathan in which he says, “During the time men live without a common power to keep them
all in awe, they are in that condition which is called war; and such a war as is of every man
against every man.” (Hobbes, 1651, Page Unknown). But the issues presented thus far have all
been theoretical as no government has yet reached this stage of Communist Theory. The only
issue with Communist Theory pertaining to the Hobbesian nature of people that has been seen in
the real world involves the intermediary stage between capitalism and communism called the
socialist stage. This problem stems from the proletariat dictatorship that must be established to
turn all private property into state owned assets and to gain complete control of all economic
activities. Within the theory this proletariat dictatorship is meant to give up its power to enter the
communist stage, but in practice this never happens. In all real-world examples the dictatorship,
due to self-regarding tendencies, never gives up this power; this causes long lasting dictatorships
to be established, sometimes leading to totalitarianism. This has been seen in the former USSR,
China, Cuba, Vietnam, and North Korea. North Korea reaching a totalitarian state under the Kim
family which have ruled the country with an iron fist for over 70 years. Ultimately, despite its
possibly positive sounding theory, communism goes completely against Hobbes’ views on the
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nature of man. Humanities tendencies towards selfishness and strong thirst for superiority/power
would cause breakdowns on multiple levels of a communist society. Our need for advantage over
others would result in the hoarding of supplies meant to be distributed among the populus. Our
vicious original state would cause great wars when ungoverned. But the ungoverned state could
never be reached due to the proletariat dictatorships need for power, resulting in the dictatorship
authoritarian regimes. While authoritarian regimes seek complete political control but do not
control most social institutions, such as the family, and for the most part religion; totalitarianism
goes way beyond this, seeking complete political control along with complete social and
economic control. Totalitarianism seeks total and unlimited sovereignty over all parts of the lives
of its citizens. Famous totalitarian regimes include Nazi Germany, North Korea and Fascist Italy.
Totalitarianism is the government system that Thomas Hobbes is most associated with; although
totalitarianism as an ideology did not exist during Hobbes’ time he is often seen as laying the
foundation for particular totalitarian principles. Hobbes believed the only way to end the chaos
of nature was to have a ruler with unlimited power to impose peace on all citizens. In a
totalitarian government people give up their rights to be provided safety, order and to be
removed from their “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short” lives in the state of nature, this
creates a social contract (Hobbes, 1651, Page Unknown). Hobbes’ theory exaggerates the
strength of authoritarian principles needed to create a strong and safe society. Once citizens are
under the control of a totalitarian regime, they are supposed to now be secure and free of danger
from one another, but now they are in danger of the actions of a possibly tyrannical leader.
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Leading to a second point, that all leaders with absolute power, even with the intentions of safety
and security for their citizens in mind, will become tyrannical due to their pure self-interest. As
Hobbes’ believes that man without governing and control becomes violent, selfish and brutish,
then the totalitarian leader who is completely free of any governance or control through his
unlimited power would then also revert to the traits of his natural state. Hobbes’ himself stated
“Government is necessary, not because man is naturally bad... but because man is by nature more
individualistic than social.” (Hobbes, 1651, Page Unknown). So, then does the one man outside
of government not then become individualistic? And how can the citizens be considered safe and
secure under the complete tyranny of a cruel, selfish and power thirsty leader. In brief, Hobbes’
vision of an absolutist leader being the only way to bring all of man peace and security by
freeing them from their state of nature is inaccurate. Citizens cannot be considered secure while
under the control of a leader who by being free of government has regressed into their natural
state.
ideal society can be seen through comparing the philosophy of Thomas Hobbes to various styles
can easily be controlled by media to make choices negatively impacting the state. Another issue
in a democratic system is that the freedom of the people allows them to make selfish and bad
decisions without the government having the means to force good things upon them. The Theory
of Communism entirely combats Hobbes’ theory of our natural state by assuming that man
ungoverned is capable of being generous and fair to all, even if that means loss to the self.
Communism always results in dictatorship as the proletariat leaders will never be willing to give
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up their superiority over the rest of the people. Even if the actual state of communism where to
be reached the lack of any government would cause man to enter their natural state completely;
this would result in wars, looting and extreme crime. Authoritarian philosophy can also be taken
too far as seen in totalitarian states. In these states the leader has complete and ultimate power
with no repercussions as in the social contract the citizens give up all rights for security, safety
and freedom from their natural state. But a leader with unlimited power then is outside any
control causing them to act in their natural state once again. So how can the citizens be
considered safe and secure under the rule of somebody selfish, solitary and nasty. Therefore, a
government style must exist with authoritarian enough ideals to prevent people from being
misinformed and from acting in their natural state; along with being strong enough to not be
overthrown. But it is imperative that this government does not have a sole leader with complete
power as they themselves will begin acting in their natural state. This could be done by having a
group of educated people make decisions, giving the mass public less say, giving the government
the ability to force citizens to mandatorily do certain things and by having a constitution that
cannot be altered that has guidelines and laws that must be followed by those in charge. The state
of nature is impossible to completely be avoided but can be harshly mitigated using authoritarian
strategies.
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Bibliography
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