Leviathan

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

3207

Title

Leviathan

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Thomas Hobbes's seminal 1651 treatise argues that civil society and sovereign authority are necessary to prevent the natural state of mankind, which is a war of all against all. Through rigorous logical deduction and biblical analysis, Hobbes defines the passions, the social contract, and the absolute power required to secure peace, justice, and the safety of the commonwealth against both internal disorder and external threats.

Summary up to 500 words

In *Leviathan*, Thomas Hobbes constructs a rigorous philosophical and theological defense of absolute sovereignty, arguing that order is the only alternative to chaos. The work begins by analyzing human nature, defining voluntary motion and the passions—such as appetite, aversion, desire, and fear—as the internal drivers of action. Hobbes posits that without a common power to keep them in awe, humans live in a 'state of nature' characterized by perpetual war and insecurity. To escape this condition, individuals rationally covenant to transfer their rights to a sovereign authority, creating an artificial person, the 'Leviathan,' which represents the state. This sovereign, whether a monarch or an assembly, possesses absolute power to make and enforce laws, adjudicate disputes, and defend the realm. Hobbes meticulously addresses objections regarding the right of resistance, the legitimacy of conquest, and the role of religion, asserting that the sovereign must control the interpretation of scripture to prevent civil strife. He contends that the sovereign's power is not tyranny but the very condition for liberty and peace, as subjects are free only when protected by the laws of the commonwealth. The text concludes by emphasizing that the stability of the state depends on the subjects' obedience and the sovereign's ability to maintain order, rejecting the notion that private zeal or ancient traditions can supersede the established civil power. Hobbes's argument remains a foundational text in political philosophy, establishing the social contract theory that prioritizes security and order above all else.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

Download URL

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/3207.epub.noimages

Local file path

data/epubs/pg3207.epub

Download EPUB

Downloaded at

2026-06-30 19:00 UTC

Categories

• Philosophy
• Politics