THOMAS HOBBES (1588- 1679) Flashcards
LEVIATHAN (1651)
absolutist theory of democracy
Primary aim = to challenge the idea that rebellion against rulers can be justified
- Complete SUBMISSION and OBEDIENCE to total authority (The Leviathan)
- Although you lose FREEDOM in a Leviathan state, we gain PEACE
- Only condition in which you can oppose is if you are directly threatened to be killed by Leviathan
Quote from Leviathan about the need of a state?
‘Nothing could be worse than life without the protection of the state’
THE STATE OF NATURE (2 quotes)
‘War of all against all’
‘Nasty, brutish and short’
Formation of a state
In the absence of government, human nature will inevitably bring us into severe conflict
Our fear of death would lead human beings to create a state
We exchange our natural liberties for PEACE and SECURITY under LEVIATHAN
Critiques of Hobbes’ absolutist theory of democracy
Hobbes captures the danger we face from other people in general, but not the danger we face from the authority set up to protect us.
He does not contemplate the abuse of absolute power.
Even if the leader was tyrannous people would still have to obey (‘humane affairs cannot be without some intervention’) = this is to prevent chaos an bloodshed
J.A Thomas (1929)
No other writer, either ancient or modern, can be quoted in support of the Leviathan.
THE STATE OF NATURE
Humans beings have a relentless desire for ‘power after power’ (LEVIATHAN) and are competitive.
Human beings have an equal ability to kill in the state of nature
Desired goods are SCARCE
You are permitted to take another’s life if this will help you survive (no justice, no right or wrong in S of N)
Hobbes’ social contract?
People submit to authority out of fear and chaos and then have to obey.
‘Mutual relationship between protection and obedience’
Quote by CATLIN (1967)
In a Hobbesian strong authoritarian government, the ‘stiff necks of rebels have to be broken’
As long as the sovereign upholds peace, its powers are absolute
Hobbes’ problems with contemporary democracy
He would see the free democratic right to protest in our modern society as a breakdown of the social contract
Subjects no longer have obligations to the sovereign (return to war of all against all)
His logic of civil peace only being maintained by absolute authority has been proven wrong
(authoritative rulers where people lose freedom has historically been proven to CAUSE war, not prevent it)
(eg Hitler, Mussolini, other aggressive dictators abuse of power)
HOBBES on PATRIARCHY (Okin, 1992)
Hobbes’ entire philosophy was founded on the premise of equality (an equal ability to kill in the state of nature)
Using Hobbes’ initial premise of human equality and egoism, there is he no logic in arriving at the institution of a patriarchal family which rests on the radical inequality of women.
How does Hobbes justify the patriarchal family? (2 quotes)
‘for the most past commonwealths have been erected by Fathers, not by the mothers of families’
and writes
‘family consists only of man and his children’ wherein the man is the ‘more excellent sex’ (LEVIATHAN)
