Leviathan -Thomas Hobbes

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Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes

Leviathan, published in 1651 by Thomas Hobbes, is one of the most influential works in political philosophy, seeking to establish the foundations of a strong and stable government, which the author calls the "Leviathan," a reference to the biblical sea monster. The book is divided into four parts, starting with an analysis of human nature in the state of nature. Hobbes argues that, without a coercive power, individuals live in a condition of "war of all against all" (bellum omnium contra omnes), where life is "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short." In this state, human beings are guided purely by their desires and the imperative of self-preservation, which inevitably leads them to constant conflict due to scarcity and the inherent equality of hope in achieving their goals.

To escape this dreadful condition, reason leads individuals to seek peace, resulting in the formulation of the Laws of Nature. The most fundamental of these laws is the pursuit of peace, and the second is the willingness to lay down one's right to all things, provided others are willing to do the same, thereby establishing a pact or social contract. This contract is the mechanism by which individuals transfer their power and rights to a single sovereign entity, the Leviathan, to guarantee security and order. Hobbes advocates for the necessity of an absolute sovereign power, which can be exercised by a monarch or an assembly, provided that this power is indivisible and irrevocable, as any division would result in a return to the state of nature. The sovereign's purpose is the peace and defense of its subjects, and it is through strict obedience to this sovereign that civil society and the concept of property become possible.

The work also details the rights and duties of the sovereign and the subjects, emphasizing that the subjects' freedom resides in those areas which the sovereign has not chosen to regulate. In its final parts, Hobbes extends his analysis to the ecclesiastical structure and the relationship between civil and religious power. He critically examines the notion of a spiritual power superior to the temporal power, arguing that religious authority must be entirely subordinate to the civil sovereign to prevent civil war and disorder. His critique targets the misinterpretation of scripture and the influence of doctrines that undermine the State's sovereignty, concluding that the power of the State (the Leviathan) must be total and unchallenged to fulfill its single, most vital function: maintaining peace and, thereby, preserving the lives of its citizens.