Thomas Hobbes Leviathan and the Fundamental Principle of a Society Ess

At the core of Thomas Hobbes’ Leviathan rests one fundamental value of a society, from which Hobbes derives all other laws: the duty to self-preservation. At the same time, many of Hobbes’ claims rest on his assumption that there is very little difference between men in their physical and mental abilities. By these two ideas, Hobbes asserts that it is to the advantage of every individual’s duty to self- preservation to seek peace with all other men (Hobbes Ch. 13, p. 2). But, in reading this text we must ask ourselves: Does Hobbes consider what would happen if a person were both confident and skilled enough that he or she could subvert the confederate power of all other men? What difficulties might such a person present to the ethical solidarity of the Hobbesian state? To answer these questions, I will first deliver a short story that brings the ethical trustworthiness of the Hobbesian state into question. With this story I will then illuminate the flaws of the Hobbesian state, which can be traced back to its fundamental principle of self-preservation. Finally, I will present a different fundamental principle for the laws of a state, equal and fair love, enumerating its advantages. To begin, imagine the following story. In a time very similar to the current one but not our own, the state exists exactly as Hobbes had presented in The Leviathan. The Sovereign rules absolutely; every citizen holds the right of self-preservation as the fundamental value of their society; and Hobbes is remembered as a national hero. However, the nation currently suffers from a great recession, and many live in terrible poverty. Trusting all their rights to the state, the citizens cling to a hope for a better future. But among these citizens, no one is more passionate or more devout for the state than Aminta1. As a criminal investigator for the state police, Aminta has received plentiful training and experience which distinguishes her as an above-average individual in terms of general intelligence. However, Aminta possesses one great idiosyncrasy that sharply distinguishes her from the rest of her people. She 1 From the Greek word for â€Å"protector† or â€Å"defender† (English-Greek Dictionary) holds no fear or belief in God and believes there is only this life and its punishments. Aminta deems belief in the divine as the folklore... ...obbesian state. For one, there is nothing inherent to the preservation of one’s own freedom that would enable a man to have regard for another man’s well-being. Just like the duty to self-preservation, this principle may permit the American citizen to disregard the needs of his fellow man, so long as his freedoms have not been infringed. Thus, we begin to see the incredible influence Hobbes’ work has had in much of today’s political theory. If a state were to decide to alter its fundamental principle, it appears it would take years of pulling up bricks to lay the groundwork for a new fundamental principle. Equal and fair love may be more advantageous, but it would take incredible amounts of energy to implement in a state today. Works Cited Hobbes, Thomas. The English Works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury; Now First Collected and Edited by Sir William Molesworth, Bart. Vol. 3. London: Bohn, 1839-45. Electronic. Locke, John. The Works of John Locke in Nine Volumes. 12th ed. Vol. 4. London: Rivington, 1824. Electronic. â€Å"Defender,† â€Å"Protect.† English-Greek Dictionary. 2nd ed. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd., 1959. Print.