Essay on Hobbes as a Social Covenant Theorist - 999 Words

Hobbes as a Social Covenant Theorist Throughout the assigned portions of the Leviathan, Thomas Hobbes proves to be a social contract theorist, however inconsistently. Through his explanation of humanity extracting itself out of the state of Nature, by developing rules pertaining to property and contract, by means of the creation of a Sovereign, or Common Wealth, he clearly elucidates the basic concepts of social contract theory. In order to fully grasp Hobbes theory of Social Contract, one must first become familiar with his basic premises of The State of Nature. In this state each individual is inherently in a perpetual state of war, due to several given reasons. Hobbes assumes that Nature hath made men#8230;equall.†¦show more content†¦Expressed by Hobbes, And therefore, as long as this naturall Right of everyman to every thing endureth there can be no security to any man, of living out the time, which Nature ordinarily alloweth men to live. (Hobbes 190) In addition to this most inconvenient physical state of nature, Hobbes elaborates upon the mutuall transferring of right. (Hobbes 192) It is necessary for men to enter into contracts, a mutual agreement made by individuals in order to exchange the right to the thing. (Hobbes 193) Things can range from deciding on peace between two quarreling parties, with demands and peaceful sacrifices from both ends, to an agreement between two merchants for goods and services. At times it is necessary for one of the Contractors to, deliver the Thing contracted for on his part, and leave the other to perform his part at some determinate time after. (Hobbes 193) Thusly, forming this covenant, which promises that a good or service of some sort will be awarded to one of the contractors at a future time. However, in the state of nature, there exists absolutely no assurance that ones contracts or covenants will be upheld. Hobbes argues that it is in everymans best interest to not fulfill his en d of the bargain, as it were. Therefore, due to his feare of not performance on either part, men are driven, by their own suspicions to create a coercive power, or sovereign, to regulate their contractual agreements andShow MoreRelatedThomas Hobbes and John Locke Essay1020 Words   |  5 PagesHobbes and Locke John Locke and Thomas Hobbes were famous political Theorists among other things in their time. Hobbes who was born 40 years before Locke had a very different perspective to Locke and both will be examined more through this essay. Even though many of there theories were different in the sixteenth century Hobbes and Locke s theories became closer as the rise of the state and decline of the feudal system brought about the question of authority. Read MoreThomas Hobbes Biography And View On Justice1447 Words   |  6 PagesThomas Hobbes Introduction Thomas Hobbes sees human from a mechanistic view that life is simply the motions of the organism believes that a state of nature in human kind will eventually become a state of war of all against all. He attempted to justify the absolute power of the sovereign on the basis of a hypothetical social contract in which individuals seek to protect themselves from one another by agreeing to obey the sovereign in all matters. The key element in Hobbes’s view on human natureRead MoreThe Prince After The English Civil War1035 Words   |  5 PagesChanges in political views are usually done under the pretense of social and political mayhem. Niccolo Macchiavelli wrote his book The Prince after having assisted in the creation of a republic in Florence at a time when several Italian states were fighting for control. Philosopher Thomas Hobbes wrote his work The Leviathan under the English Civil War when it was clear that the king was not able to keep his people safe. These backdrops of pol itical unrest helped mold both philosophers attitudes towardRead MoreThomas Hobbes State of Nature Essay1152 Words   |  5 PagesIn the beginning, there was a darker side to the preservation of life. Man lived a life of kill or be killed, without any regard for other than his own. Life was solitary, poor, brutish and short. This barbaric and primitive state is what Thomas Hobbes believed to be the State of Nature. Practical reason dictates that when threatened you either act, give up your property, or anticipate for a sign of weakness to act. This means that all have a right to everything so long as it can be attained. PeopleRead MoreThomas Hobbes And John Locke1676 Words   |  7 PagesThomas Hobbes and John Locke are social theorists who are both educated in Oxford University. However, they hold distinctive views on human nature, laws, societies, and government. Locke believes in democracy, which the power and the government are in the hands of people, but Hobbes believes in a bsolute monarchy, where the power and government are belong to the monarch. In this essay, I will mainly use comparison and contrast, first discuss their different opinions about human nature and laws becauseRead MoreWhat Makes a Political Authority Legitimate?2025 Words   |  9 Pagesthis essay, will be taken to mean that there is a justification for an individual or a body to have power over other people in determining such things as laws and protection of freedom. To consider this question, three theories shall be looked at – Hobbes’, Rousseau and finally Locke and determine which gives the most persuasive account of legitimate political authority. To begin with, their hypothetical starting point, the state of nature, shall be discussed to establish the foundations of their politicalRead MoreHobbes And Locke s Political Legitimacy1530 Words   |  7 PagesIn defining political legitimacy, many theorists put forth a distinct set of values that frame their view on the authorities’ right to rule and citizen’s obligation to follow. Theorists such as Hobbes and Locke, both of their account on political legitimacy might look quite similar at first glance, because each theorized about the nature of mankind and the right political systems that would meet the needs of individuals. However, in Hobbes’ perspective, political authority does not pre-exist in individual’sRead MoreOrder In A Civic Society Is Kept By A Great Many Agents1733 Words   |  7 Pagesof one’s self-interest is not among the most traditionally cited examples. Its effect is indeed ambiguous; will it cause officials serving the people to corrupt the State or preserve it all the same? The political theorists Niccolà ² Machiavelli in The Discourses on Livy and Thomas Hobbes in Leviathan offer contrasting conclusions; the former believed obeying selfish motivation disastrous whereas the latter thought it fundamental towards maintaining the solvency of the country. The origin of their differingRead MoreWhat Have Theorists Meant by Liberty? Essay example1589 Words   |  7 Pagesthe world, citizens of developed Western countries could be described has having considerably more liberty when compared with many of the less developed Arab nations. Theorists have studied the concept of liberty for centuries and there have been a number of different definitions, from people like Machiavelli to more modern theorists like Mill. It is the fundamental value that allows people to make decisions for themselves in civilised society. Without liberty, people would live in a situation whereRead MoreSocial Contract Is The Formidable Obelisk For Peacebuilding And Statebuilding1269 Words   |  6 Pages Social Contract is the formidable obelisk for peacebuilding and statebuilding. One of the oldest and widely cited Social Contract theories is the one of theorist’s John Rawls. His theory proposed an objective perspective of the Social Contract concept that was rooted from medieval Europe, this widely accepted principle that â€Å"all men are by nature free and equal† (Lessnoff, 1990, p. 3) made Rawls disparate to his brethren who too theorized this concept. Rawls rendition of the theory was not only