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Sovereign Power in Hobbes' Leviathan: Analysis and Interpretation

Explore the philosophical concepts in Thomas Hobbes' Leviathan, focusing on the nature of sovereignty, the state of nature, and the social contract theory. This article delves into the key principles of Hobbesian philosophy and their relevance in modern governance and politics.

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Sovereign Power in Hobbes' Leviathan: Analysis and Interpretation

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  1. Subject and Sovereign in Thomas Hobbes’ Leviathan Mar 7, 2016 Destruction of Leviathan, Gustave Dore (1865)

  2. Thomas Hobbes’ Philosophy Scientific revolution of the 17th C. Studied Cartesian geometrical method and substance dualism Espoused Galileo’s theory of inertia (and motion) The Elements of Law – 1640 (defending Charles I) De Cive – 1642 Leviathan – 1651 De Corpore – 1655 De Homine – 1657 Behemoth – 1682 (History of the English Civil War) (1588-1679)

  3. BiblicalMonsters: LeviathanandBehemoth Onemonster (Leviathan, thestate, absolutesovereign) againstanothermonster (Behemoth, civilwar, absolutechaos) William Blake, from llustrations of theBook of Job 1826

  4. Three moments in Hobbes’ philosophy I Materialist claim: Incorporeal substance is an oxymoron (Descartes?) Galilean mechanics: A body in motionshould have the same velocity and direction unless a force acts upon it

  5. Three moments in Hobbes’ philosophy II From natural philosophy to the analysis ofmovements of human beings Impulses, appetites, passions, hopes, aversions, fears, thoughtskeephumansmoving Once in motion, psychologicalorcognitivephenomenaandmotivationsare alwaysaffectedbyanother body (orbodies)

  6. Three moments in Hobbes’ philosophy III [from the Introduction to Leviathan] “…however skilled someone is at ‘reading’ others by their actions, that can serve him only with the few people he knows personally. Someone who is to govern a whole nation must read in himself not this or that particular man but mankind. This is hard to do, harder than learning any language or science; but when I have set before you in an orderly and clear manner my own ‘reading’ of myself, you will be left only with the task of considering whether it also applies to you. There is no other way to prove a doctrine of this kind.” Nosce te ipsum: Know thyself (yourself) Hobbes: Read yourself

  7. Hobbes’“self-evident axioms” about Human beings “I obtained two absolutely certain postulates of human nature; one, the postulate of human greed by which each man insists upon his own private use of common property; the other, the postulate of natural reason, by which each man strives to avoid violent death.” (from De Cive, Epistle dedicatory)

  8. In the State of Nature, there is… “…no place for hard work, because there is no assurance that it will yield results; consequently no cultivation of the earth, no navigation or use of materials that can be imported by sea, no construction of large buildings, no machines for moving things that require much force, no knowledge of the face of the earth, no account of time, no practical skills, no literature or scholarship, no society; and—worst of all—continual fear and danger of violent death, and the life of man solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short.” (Leviathan, Ch.13) Natural condition = Homo homini lupus est + Bellum omnium contra omnes

  9. TheState of Nature, a contemporary example: Nativetribes in thecolonies De Cive(1642) Heavenand Hell on earth (Inthe background: Natives with crossbows and cannibals eating a girl) Frontispiece by Jean Matheus with input from Hobbeshimself

  10. ImperiumcontraLibertas Biblical statement in the middlereads: By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just. (Proverbs 8:15)

  11. Contemporary Example of the State of Nature: Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648) The Miseries of War, Jacques Callot (1633) Protestant States vs. Roman Catholic States War of supremacy in the Holy Roman Imperial territory (Germany)

  12. ContemporaryExample of the State of Nature: Civil War (Decomposition of the Body Politic) English Civil War between Royalists and Republicans (1642-1651) Battle of Naseby, 1645

  13. Left: Oliver Cromwell (later Protector) Right: Charles I (beheaded in 1649)

  14. BehemothTakes Over: CivilWarandRegicide A contemporary German print

  15. How to leave the State of Nature, of constant war? Rational principles or modes of conduct that should effect self-preservation and well-being of the individual “Don’t do to someone else anything that you wouldn’t want done to you” (Leviathan, Ch.15) The 1stprinciple: “…every man ought to seek peace, as far as he has any hope of obtaining it; and when he can’t obtain it he may seek and use all helps and advantages of war.” (Ch. 14)

  16. Rational principles cont’d The 2nd principle: “When a man thinks that peace and self-defence require it, he should be willing (when others are too) to lay down his right to everything, and should be contented with as much liberty against other men as he would allow other men against himself.” (Leviathan, Ch. 14) People make a contract and enter into a covenant: Civil laws

  17. The 3rd principle: ‘‘Men should perform the covenants they make.’’ (Leviathan, Ch.15) Non est potestas Super Terram quae Comperatur ei. (Job 41.24) There is no power on earth to be compared to him. Frontispiece designed by Abraham Bosse in collaboration with Hobbes

  18. Imaging the Sovereign’s Artificial Body ‘‘…the pacts and agreements by which the parts of this body politic were at first made, put together, and united, resemble that fiat—that ‘Let us make man’—pronounced by God when he was creating the world.’’ (Introduction)

  19. The Subjects’ Bodies Forming the Sovereign’s Body Over 300 bodies all facing the body, looking at the all-powerful Sovereign in AWE

  20. First sketch of the Sovereign’s Body (changed by Hobbes) Subjects looking outward, not at Leviathan (not in fear and respect)

  21. Bodies of the Sovereign and the “Subjects” His own body synonymous with the Commonwealth (body politic, the nation) Individual bodies go into the makingof this representative body (recall the execution of Charles I. Like a suicidal act, it is unacceptable.) Enlarged definition of the “Subject” of modern politics: Subjects authorize / make the Sovereign (agency) They willingly subject themselves to this absolute power for the sake of law, order and security (passivity)

  22. On sovereign power, unlimited by consent (because it comes from us all) “He who thus domineers over you has only two eyes, only two hands, only one body, no more than possessed by the least man among the infinite numbers dwelling in your cities; he has indeed nothing more than the power that you confer upon him to destroy you. Where has he acquired enough eyes to spy upon you, if you do not provide them yourselves? How can he have so many arms to beat you with, if he does not borrow them from you? The feet that trample down your cities, where does he get them if they are not your own? How does he have any power over you except through you?” Discours de la servitude volontaire (1574), Étienne de La Boétie

  23. Two Powers Combined in the Sovereign ‘Earthly’ power Powers of the church

  24. A “pre-Hobbesian” concept of sovereignty The Ottoman Coat of Arms (19th C.) previously only the Sultan’s tughra was used

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