Analysis of Leviathan by Thomas Hobbles

In the Leviathan, Thomas Hobbes argues that an ideal state is one in which the government possess all the power in order to protect the people and provide security is the best. Thomas Hobbes believed that people were inherently evil. He claimed that people will do whatever they want to get whatever they want. He labels this as the state of nature. He claims that the natural state is the place we are in before we are actually influenced by society. He says that this place is total chaos because people only do what benefits them. He describes the natural state of man as one that is wild and chaotic without government. He asserts the idea that man needs and naturally wants order but not being able to do it on our own way is best. He goes on to point out that the world would only be chaotic if there aren’t absolute monarchs. Hobbes believes man must establish the Leviathan by making a social contract and only then will the world run ideally. He considers the state of nature like the human body; the government being the head and the citizens being the body. The head is in absolute control but the body can still create harm on itself and the head but only if the head allows it. The people (the body) must give consent to the government to have absolute rule. I believe that Thomas Hobbes’ view on how society should be run is far too ambitious and paves way for tyranny and overwhelms the individual. The idea that the citizens are the body and the government is the head is not unrealistic, in fact the portal or body politics is brilliant but he fails to account for the individual. I believe that there is no way man can exist without government. I believe that even in our natural state we assert some type of government. I do see that man may...

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... while they depend on each other. The world is much like a high school even on a larger scale. In a high school you have the choice to be a participant who is engaged, involved and takes on many activities where they are constantly working with others or you can be the bully who alone. Liberalists believe that the ideal choice is the choice that involves cooperation with others. It allows different people with different perspectives to come together and formulate ideas and decisions together. In a Hobbesian society or government this would not work because a government where there is one sovereign leader, decisions are ultimately made by him or with his strong guidance. If Hobbes believes that man is nasty, selfish and evil in our natural state he must also understand that some will still be skilled in certain areas than others forcing man to depend on one another.