Thomas Hobbes

Thomas Hobbes

  • Submitted By: mltmkokcu
  • Date Submitted: 12/28/2013 12:12 PM
  • Category: Philosophy
  • Words: 672
  • Page: 3
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COMMONWEALTH

Thomas Hobbes’ political thought reflected the new political forces that were transforming Westhern Europe. He saw the agonies of civil war including the execution of Charles I. When he joined the war, he accused the parliament and militant religious leaders for destroying royal soveignity and exposition of Civil War. Because of that reason, Hobbes who was affected by Galileo’s mathematical physic, aimed to build a political philosophy on a scientific fonUdation . thus he decided to write Leviathan. In a part of Leviathan which is ‘Commonwealth’, he illustreted the causes, definiton and form of commonwealth with explaining sovereign rights. First of all, for Hobbes the natural condition of man is one of strife and chaos. He mentions that every men against every men (homo homini lopus). Because of that reason human nature must be under the control of sovereign authority. Hobbes’ sovereign has to be a Leviathan which is a fearfull sea monster because it prevents people from slipping into the state of nature. Hoppes believes that the only way to erect the power needed to maintain peace and security is through a covenant. The covenant is “more than concent or concord” but a “real unity” of the multitude into one person. In addition, the sovereign can use teRror to force his people into a state of peace. Hobbes described his sovereign with these quotations; “all their power and strength upon one man, or upon one assembly of men, that may reduce all their wills, by plurality of voices, unto one will.. .”, “This done, the multitude so united in one person is called a COMMONWEALTH . . . This is the generation of the great LEVIATHAN . . . to which we owe . . . our peace and defense” .As for Him, there are two ways of establishing a commonwealth; one of them is acqusiton (force) and the other is agreement. Establishing a commenwealth with force is to take control of a group of people by sovereign power. On the other hand, people can accept...

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