Thomas Hobbes And The Civil War - 1620 Words

Thomas Hobbes wrote during the time of the English Civil War and these events were heavily reflected within his writing. This time demonstrated a tremendous amount of political instability within the state and the violent war caused tension and unrest amongst the citizens. Hobbes advocates for the need for an all-powerful sovereign in order to ensure peace and security within society. Hobbes argues that humans were naturally drawn into a state of war and the only way to escape this conflict was if humans entered into a social contract in which they traded their individual liberties in exchange for protection from a higher political power of authority. For Hobbes sovereignty is best achieved when humans, â€Å"owe under the immortal God, [their] peace and defence† (Hobbes, 332). According to Hobbes when humans sacrifice their personal liberty they are avoiding the fear of violent death and instead would be able to live a peaceful life. Hobbes states that in the natural sta te of war humans seek to destroy one another, â€Å" if any two men desire the same thing, which nevertheless they cannot both enjoy, they become enemies; and in the way to their end†¦ endeavour to destroy, or subdue one another† (319). It is essential to enter into a social contract because without a constant source of political authority in their life, human life would result in chaos. In an attempt to avoid the violent wars that result in the state of nature and in order to escape violent death that heShow MoreRelatedThomas Hobbes : The Age Of Reason1313 Words   |  6 PagesNolasco Green-Heffern Western Civilization 11/20/14 2 Thomas Hobbes Thomas Hobbes was a political philosopher who lived at the beginning of the Enlightenment period, also known as The Age of Reason. He lived during a time when England was experiencing a lot of political conflict between the king and Parliament. (Green-Heffern) This was also a time when many questions existed about how to rule a country and what made a good government. Thomas Hobbes’ Elements of Law (1640), his analysis of the SocialRead MoreThomas Hobbes s Leviathan 1190 Words   |  5 PagesThe source which will be analysed is the frontispiece of Thomas Hobbes most famous work ‘Leviathan’ and ‘Leviathan’ as a whole. The frontispiece is considered as prominent as the arguments put forth by Thomas Hobbes in the ‘Leviathan’ itself. The frontispiece depicts a crowned figure grasping a crosier and a sword. This figure, or ‘Leviathan’, represents the all-powerful, comprehensive state. When looked at closely, the torso and arms of the figure are made up of hundreds of individual people, whoRead MoreThomas Hobbes And John Locke1426 Words   |  6 Pagesconflicts in its history, ultimately serving to influence some of the most phenomenal political philosophers in Europe --Thomas Hob bes, and John Locke. England was in constant unrest, choosing new forms of government almost on a whim in desperate attempts to restore order in the Country. The English Civil War in 1642 etched a legacy of dread in the people of England, and the war only appeared more disastrous and fruitless when it became apparent the new Puritanical regime was just as irresponsibleRead MoreThomas Hobbes And The Enlightenment878 Words   |  4 Pagesas Enlightenment thinkers. They thought about two questions. First, are people naturally good or evil? Second, what type of government is best? Thomas Hobbes, an Englishman born in 1588, is one of the Enlightenment thinkers. Hobbes wrote The Leviathan, published in 1651, observing the violence and behavior of people near the end of the English Civil War. He believed that monarchy is the best government. John Locke, another Enlightenment thinker, is an Englishman born in 1632. Locke wrote Two TreatisesRead MoreThomas Hobbes And The Philosophy Of Polit ical Science1729 Words   |  7 Pagesgovernment. While studying, Thomas Hobbes wondered about why people were allowing themselves to be ruled and what would a great form of government for England. He reasoned that people were naturally wicked and shouldn’t be trusted to govern themselves because they were selfish creatures and would do anything to better their position and social status. These people, when left alone will go back to their evil impulses to get a better advantage over others. So Thomas Hobbes concluded that the best formRead MoreDo Metaphors Really Matter?1208 Words   |  5 Pagesthat will be used in this particular case will be the metaphor used by the famous English philosopher, Thomas Hobbes, in his famous book, â€Å"Leviathan† which was published in 1651. Thomas Hobbes and the Leviathan Thomas Hobbes was a philosopher who had his interests based mainly on political affairs. As stated earlier, his most famous piece of work, â€Å"Leviathan† was a platform through which Hobbes expressed his ideas of how an ideal state ought to look like. The term â€Å"Leviathan† is used in the BibleRead MoreThe Philosophy of Thomas Hobbs Essay1748 Words   |  7 PagesThomas Hobbss philosophy Hobbes Moral: Thomas Hobbes is known best for his political thought and the English philosopher. The vision of Hobbes for the world is still relevant to modern politics. He always focus the problems of social and political order: that how human beings can keep away the terror of civil and difference to live together in peace and got authorize to decide every social and political matter. Otherwise state of nature anticipate us and closely remind us of civil war where thereRead MoreThomas Hobbes And John Locke911 Words   |  4 Pagessocial contract theory, Thomas Hobbes and John Locke established many of the founding ideals that contemporary Liberalism is based on. While the shared many similar positions, there are some key distinctions to be made between the arguments Hobbes and Locke make in Leviathan and Second Treatise of Civil Government, respectively. In this paper I will argue the differences between how each of them viewed the right of the subjects to revolt from the sovereign. Thomas Hobbes published his most famousRead MoreEssay about Thomas Hobbes Concept of Natural Law1662 Words   |  7 PagesThomas Hobbes’ concept of natural law is shown in his theory of the state of nature, the pre-state environment, and consists of two laws: individuals have to pursue a peaceful life, and are allowed to defend their existence by any means possible. This has particular ramifications in the formation of civil society, especially in terms of loyalty, morality and the relationship between man and the leviathan that is the state. Hobbes’ theory has two of flaws in particular – the logic in his theory ofRead MoreJohn Locke and Thomas Hobbes Essay1077 Words   |  5 PagesJohn Locke and Thomas Hobbes both believe that men are equal in the state of nature, but their individual opinions about equality lead them to propose fundamentally different methods of proper civil governance. Locke argues that the correct form of civil government should be concern ed with the common good of the people, and defend the citizenry’s rights to life, health, liberty, and personal possessions. Hobbes argues that the proper form of civil government must have an overarching ruler governing