I’d been flicking through some of the books on my bouquet list. I prefer the word bouquet instead of bucket as it sounds less utilitarian. One of the books I’d been meaning to read for some time had the enigmatic title of Leviathan. I’d read about the Leviathan in the Bible long before hearing about Thomas Hobbes and his seminal work of the same name. The Leviathan mentioned in the Bible is portrayed as a powerful and terrifying sea monster and is referenced mainly in the Old Testament. It is also depicted as a symbol of chaos and represents the untamable forces of nature.
Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) was an English philosopher best known for his work in political philosophy. His book Leviathan was first published in 1651 and has laid the foundation for much of Western political theory. It’s a remarkable work in many ways, and despite its age, Leviathan continues to be studied and debated for its insights into political order and the nature of human society. Nearly four centuries after his death, Hobbes remains a prominent figure in Western philosophy, particularly in the fields of political theory and the philosophy of human nature.
I’m guessing some of you started nodding off as soon as you read the words political theory, so I ask for your patience as I continue my musings about a long-departed Englishman. Hobbes argued that without a Leviathan, the condition of man is "bellum omnium contra omnes" - a war of all against all. He famously posited that without government and laws, human existence would be “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short." It’s easy to dismiss some of those statements without further context, so here are a few points that highlight what Hobbes was saying.
The State of Nature: Hobbes begins by describing what he refers to as the state of nature. It’s a thought experiment of sorts, a hypothetical situation where there is no government or laws. In this state, individuals have natural equality but live in constant fear of violence and death due to the absence of a common power to keep everything in check.
The Social Contract: He then argues that for societies to function effectively there needs to be a social contract. This agreement is necessary to escape the chaos of the state of nature, whereby individuals collectively agree to form a society by entering into the social contract. This contract involves the mutual transfer of rights, whereby individuals consent to give up certain freedoms and submit to the authority of a sovereign in exchange for peace, security, and order.
The Sovereign: Hobbes contends that for the social contract to be effective, the authority of the sovereign must be absolute. The sovereign, or Leviathan, can be an individual (a monarch) or an assembly (a government), but must have the ultimate power to enforce laws and ensure peace. The absolute authority of the sovereign prevents the return to the state of nature.
The Rights of the Sovereign: The sovereign holds the power to make and enforce laws, judge disputes, and protect the state from internal and external threats. Hobbes also asserted that citizens or subjects should not be able to legitimately overthrow or resist the sovereign, as doing so would return society to the anarchy of the state of nature.
Religion and the Commonwealth: Hobbes also addresses the role of religion in the commonwealth, arguing that religious authority must be subordinate to civil authority. This was, as he saw it, to prevent religious conflicts from undermining the peace and stability of the state.
I must admit I find some of his assertions rather disturbing. However, there is merit in much of what Hobbes was saying. Initially, I took issue with the idea of ‘a war of all against all’ until I spent some time contemplating society and the state of global affairs. For the most part, I can’t help but agree with Hobbes, as even our modern society remains deeply flawed. Fighting and warring seem to be the rule rather than the exception. Human beings seem to revel in what can be described as tribalism or groupish tendencies.
We can see these behaviors clearly displayed in just about every major sporting event. Then there’s the bickering that so easily erupts between neighbors over anything from a tree obstructing somebody’s view, to the size and style of the fence that divides the property. Competitive parenting can turn academic performance, the pursuit of excellence, and winning into a blood sport. If we’re to believe what’s reported in the mainstream media, domestic and family violence seems to be increasing year upon year. Children fight with their parents, and court cases overflow every day of the week with assaults, divorce, and murder. Then there’s politics and partisanship. States compete aggressively with other states, and countries are currently at war, with many teetering on the brink of war. And what about the Church? Let’s take a moment to reflect on how well the body of Christ compares when it comes to unity and peace between its members.
On my last visit to the Land of Smiles, I was discussing the patch of land owned by my mother-in-law with my dearly beloved. Back in the mid to late 1970s, she and her husband took their young family to the area as the government at the time was offering free parcels of land to Thai citizens. All you needed to be eligible was to stake your claim and lodge your intention with the appropriate governing body along with evidence of your Thai citizenship. By all accounts, it was an exciting time, as the land was rich and fertile and largely undeveloped. There was, however, the issue of coveting your neighbor’s property.
In what was yet to become a developing country, there was an inherent lawlessness that prevailed throughout much of the region. One of the dangers in selecting a good block of land was that there was no guarantee you’d live long enough to enjoy it. If a neighbor decided they didn’t like you or wanted your land for themselves, there was every possibility you and your family would end up mysteriously disappearing in the dead of night. The neighbor ‘responsible’ for said disappearance, would end up adjusting his boundaries, citing to the authorities, that the land had been abandoned, and nobody would say very much about it.
It seems to me, at least in that example, that Hobbes’s views on the state of nature was pretty close to the mark. I am less inclined to agree with his assertion that the authority of the Leviathan must be absolute. After all, all power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Does it not? I’d be interested to hear your thoughts on Hobbesian thinking, and whether or not you think his observations are still relevant in a modern age. If you’ve made it this far, thank you for reading. Please feel free to like, comment, or subscribe as I’d love to hear from you. Until next time, stay curious and stay informed.
Ciao for now.
I read this the other night, but was clearly too tired... Haha...so... just read it again... Interesting huh... History definitely repeats itself & I think what Hobbes suggests is pretty much what's happening in today's world... Some things never change....