Thomas Hobbes

1588-1679, born in Malmesbury in England; during turbulent times in England - Civil war (1642-1651), war with Spain, 30 years war in Europe, religious war.

He tutored Royal families - Cavendish - earl of Devonshire, and Charles II- who became kind of England.

He studied at Oxford, toured Europe, and came in contact with great scientists Galileo, Kepler, Descartes - was fascinated by laws of mechanics - matter in motion, was himself optical scientist.

Books:

De Cive (On the citizen) - 1642
Leviathan - 1651
De Corpore (On the Body) - 1655
De Homine - 1658
The Elements of Law
Natural and Political - 1750

His moral and political philosophy created uneasiness to the powers of that time from all factions/beliefs.

Political association set up as a result of social contract to preserve life and maintain peace & order;

Political Philosophy of Hobbs

Entire world is mechanistic - matter in motion- every worldly phenomenon, including political, can be explained by natural laws of science;
Human condition without any political authority was of "perpetual fear" and constant "war of all against all";
Such "poor, nasty, brutish life in state of nature" was due to nature of man and absence of any greater power to maintain peace and security;
Guided by Natural laws as came to man by sense of reason, they came out state of nature by a "contract with one and all" wherein everyone surrendered their rights and power to a 3rd party - the Leviathan - the State/Government, the sovereign, the commonwealth;
The sovereign had absolute, unlimited, undivided, unalienable power;
By the contract the sovereign was "obliged" to secure life and maintain peace and people to obey laws and dictates of the sovereign;

Nature of Man

Man is composed of matter in motion, Vital vs Voluntary motion;
Basic human attribute is Desire; 2 types: Appetite and Aversion for something - driving force for man's behavior. Appetite (liking): External stimulus supporting vital motions; Aversion (disliking): external stimulus disturbing vital motions;
Men's action are not guided by intellect or reason, but mainly by their appetites, desire, and passions;
"Almost equal natural abilities", no one is invulnerable nor can expect to be able to dominate the others;
Self-preservation (will to survive) and Glory (respect & recognition) are chief appetites/desires;
This is possible only by the acquisition of power. Power is the means to satisfy man's desires;
Happiness is continuous progress of desire from one object to another, restless and perpetual desire for more power;
Men hold high opinions of themselves, their self-worth, and their sense of judgment;
Moral relativism: good: anything which pleases and delightful to them; Evil/bad: which displeases;
But man posses sense of reason - understand logical connections of cause & effect;
Man develops competition for power (resources & glory) and fear & suspicion about motives of others;

State of Nature

Human life without any political order - no civil society, no state/government, no civil law;
No sin, injustice, immorality in state of nature;
Men are at liberty to do anything to preserve their lives - everyone has right to everything - no limit to right of natural liberty;
Private judgment: Each one is judge, jury and executioner in her own case whenever disputes arise;
Three principle causes of quarrels among men: competition for power, mistrust which moves them to attack others for fear of being attacked by the, and glory which makes them attack for the sake of reputation;
Prisoner's Dilemma of Game Theory: sub-optional outcome because of non-rational behavior due to fear and no trust - better kill than be killed;
Every man is enemy to every man - war of all against all;
Comfortable, sociable, civilized life impossible - no industry, no art/culture, business/trade, knowledge, peace/progress;
Thus in state of nature life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short;

Laws of nature: Basis of Social Contract

These laws are neither universal moral values, nor divine commands, they are universal percepts (code) based on reason;
Self-preservation is prime duty: Not do anything which is destructive to life, takes away means to preserve life, omit which may preserve his life;
Whatever you require that others do to you, that you do to them;
Every person should seek peace: forgoing their rights if all other do the same to have peace;
Maintain the Covenants made. Performing of a covenant is a just, not performing is unjust;

The Social Contract

Men in state of nature came out of it by following laws of nature to perform agreement/covenant with one and all to form civil society and state/Government;
People surrendered their natural rights and powers in exchange for common peace and security;
They transferred their rights, will and power to a 3rd party - an artificial man, mortal God, sovereign, commonwealth, the State - the Leviathan;
Duty of the Sovereign: maintain peace and security - protect form one another and from external threat;
Rights of the Sovereign: Do whatsoever to maintain peace and security;
Duty of citizen: to obey the laws and dictates of the Sovereign;
Right of Citizen: right of self-preservation, and right to do anything as laws says or anything on which law is silent;

Features of The Social Contarct

The 3rd party, the sovereign is not party of the contract;
Hence, he is not bound by any law, and answerable to none;
The 3rd party, the sovereign can be a person (monarch) or council, or any other form;
Power of the sovereign is absolute, unlimited, undivided, unalienable;
One step process by which both society and state are created;
Sovereignty by Institution and by Acquisition;
The contract is valid only till the sovereign is able to maintain peace and scurity;

Political Obligation: Why should we obey the laws?

We are obliged to obey law of the sovereign because we consented to have a sovereign, we made a contract/covenant, hence we are obliged to maintain the covenant - law of nature;
Sovereign represent the will of the people, the commonwealth, the body politic of which each one is the creator by his own free will - hence obeying the sovereign is our duty - law of nature;
Obeying law will maintain common peace and security, for which the contract was performed;
Not obeying law would be to break the contract, return to state of nature in which life would be worse than even obeying tough (or even unjust) laws;
Actions done to obey the law cannot be immoral or sin as the act is of the sovereign, and not of the person carrying it;
When are we not obliged to obey the law: to protect right of self-preservation, to protect family and honor, if sovereign is not at stake, and when the sovereign is not able to maintain peace and security;

Significance of His Political Philosophy

First to deny, scientifically, the notion of divine right of king to rule;
First to legitimize resistance (revolution) against the ruler if he fails to perform his bounden duties;
First to put individuals and his rights in the center of political discourse - "grand father of modern liberalism"
First modern social contract theory of origin of State and political obligation;
First modern political scientist: explained political phenomenon according to scientific law of matter in motion, and geometry;
First modern political philosopher to secularize the State;
Unique combination of Realism (materialism) and Idealism;

Critique

His pessimistic view of human nature and condition in state of nature;
His idea of absolute rule - bordering to totalitarianism;
Excessive focus on Individuals, undermined the institutions of family, kinship, community, society;
His obsession with materialism and attempt to explain political phenomenon by laws of natural sciences;
Paradoxical: Individualism and community in social contract; absolute rule and right to revolution; materialism and idealism; reason and morality;