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Hobbes’s Leviathan: critcial evaluation

Hobbes’s Leviathan: critcial evaluation. Comments 1. Historically, the Leviathan marks an important shift in political thought. It attempts to base a state on natural principles rather than an appointment from God.

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Hobbes’s Leviathan: critcial evaluation

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  1. Hobbes’s Leviathan: critcial evaluation • Comments • 1. Historically, the Leviathan marks an important shift in political thought. It attempts to base a state on natural principles rather than an appointment from God. • 2. Hobbes is often regarded as the father of réal politique. He recognized the importance of raw power in ruling and in international affairs. Hobbes's Leviathan: critcial comments - 1

  2. Hobbes’s Leviathan: critcial evaluation • Criticisms • 1. The issue of totalitarianism. • Hobbes gives almost absolute power to the ruler • But what kind of absolutism does he defend • What is the purpose of giving absolute power to the ruler Hobbes's Leviathan: critcial comments - 2

  3. Hobbes’s Leviathan: critcial evaluation • Is power for the rulers an end in itself? • Does the power of the rulers extend to the details of everyday life à la Plato? • Does Hobbes allow for protests against the government? Hobbes's Leviathan: critcial comments - 3

  4. Hobbes’s Leviathan: critcial evaluation • 2. The basis for Hobbes’s political philosophy is a contract. • But the contract is lopsided. • In what sense? • 3. What are the most basic values of Hobbes’s political system Hobbes's Leviathan: critcial comments - 4

  5. Hobbes’s Leviathan: critcial evaluation • Suggestions • peace • order • security • prosperity • What values are missing? • Cf. the positions of J.S. Mill & Anthony Burgess (in A Clockwork Orange). Hobbes's Leviathan: critcial comments - 5

  6. Hobbes’s Leviathan: critcial evaluation • 5. Ernest van den Haag and the Hobbesian dilemma • (1) The dilemma • Appeals to individual conscience in deciding which laws to obey or disobey leads to chaos & this requires raw, naked power in order to restore order & this undermines all possibilities of protesting against laws regarded as immoral or illegal. Hobbes's Leviathan: critcial comments - 6

  7. Hobbes’s Leviathan: critcial evaluation • Thus the result of allowing citizens to appeal to their conscience in deciding which laws to obey will be an extremely authoritarian, oppressive government. • “Absolute reliance on conscience rather than law [results] in absolute reliance on naked power” (435). Hobbes's Leviathan: critcial comments - 7

  8. Hobbes’s Leviathan: critcial evaluation • The issue, then, is how can one allow for challenges to laws & yet avoid a Hobbesian style government? Hobbes's Leviathan: critcial comments - 8

  9. Hobbes’s Leviathan: critcial evaluation • (2) Is obligation to obey the law absolute--à la Hobbes? • Three possible grounds for disobeying laws • (a) Anarchy (two representatives - William Godwin, British, 1756-1836, & Peter Kropotkin, Russian, 1842-1921) Hobbes's Leviathan: critcial comments - 9

  10. Hobbes’s Leviathan: critcial evaluation • Van den Haag dismisses: • Hobbes’s description of the state of nature contains some truth • Is factually wrong -- look at what happens when authority breaks down. Hobbes's Leviathan: critcial comments - 10

  11. Hobbes’s Leviathan: critcial evaluation • (b) By regarding only some governments as legitimate & then holding than one is obligated to obey laws only if one lives under a legitimate government • Problems with this position: • What is a legitimate government? Hobbes's Leviathan: critcial comments - 11

  12. Hobbes’s Leviathan: critcial evaluation • Assume the most obvious candidate -- democracy. Even under a democracy, there may be laws which are immoral. • (c) Only some laws are legitimate • Problem -- now we are back to the Hobbesian dilemma Hobbes's Leviathan: critcial comments - 12

  13. Hobbes’s Leviathan: critcial evaluation • How can protest against laws be allowed without sliding into a Hobbesian style government? • (3) Van den Haag’s solution: Limiting protest to three forms (really two) & then laying down conditions for using each form. Hobbes's Leviathan: critcial comments - 13

  14. Hobbes’s Leviathan: critcial evaluation • (a) Conscientious objection - refusal to obey a law on moral or religious grounds, but not claiming that anyone else ought to disobey the law. • (b) Civil disobedience - deliberate, non-violent, public violation of a law on moral or religious grounds, & claiming all ought to disobey the law. Hobbes's Leviathan: critcial comments - 14

  15. Hobbes’s Leviathan: critcial evaluation • (c) Insurrection - disobeying a law or laws because a government is regarded as immoral or illegitimate. Attempting to overthrow a government. Includes violence. • These can be used only if • (a) The amount of social disruption is proportional to (b) the seriousness of the issue one is protesting against. Hobbes's Leviathan: critcial comments - 15

  16. Hobbes’s Leviathan: critcial evaluation • Van den Haag proposes that CO may rarely, CD even more rarely, and IN hardly ever. • Critique • Is Van den Haag too conservative? • Does he assume the worst consequences of CO and CD? Hobbes's Leviathan: critcial comments - 16

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