‘Leviathan’ (original title: ‘Leviathan or The Matter, Forme and Power of a Commonwealth Ecclesiasticall and Civil’) is a groundbreaking work by English philosopher Thomas Hobbes and is considered a foundational document for social contract theory.
Written during the English Civil War and published in 1651, the treatise argues that man – as a species – needed to evolve from a ‘state of nature’ (or primitive disorganization) into an organized society with a central government and a strong sovereign at its head. The ‘Leviathan’ that gives the book its title is a metaphor for government itself; a large, powerful creature that is actually made up of many smaller creatures (as demonstrated in its famous original cover, which depicts a massive crowned creature rising up over the land which is – if you look carefully – constituted of hundreds of individual beings).
Hobbes describes what he considers to be the essential nature of man, which is to be in constant motion; seeking, consuming, building, learning, and attempting to survive. Hobbes argues that absent a central commonwealth ruled over by an absolute sovereign, society would devolve into anarchy. It is only by working together and agreeing to abide by the strictures of laws, mores and other requirements of civilization, that mankind can survive.
Hailed as one of the greatest works of social commentary and governmental philosophy ever written, ‘Leviathan’ remains one of the most studied and analyzed books in history and is often used as a cornerstone to any education in political philosophy, governmental affairs and the nature of man.
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Thomas Hobbes (1588-1678) was an English philosopher best known for his book ‘Leviathan’ wherein he argued for the necessity of a strong central government and an absolute sovereign in order for civilization to survive and thrive. Absent strong laws and a powerful central government, Hobbes posited, society collapses. An Oxford- and Cambridge-educated student of philosophy, Hobbes wide travels (and meetings with influential figures like Galileo) helped form his early beliefs, but it was his horror at witnessing the English Civil War (1642-1651) between Parliamentarians and Royalists that led him to pen ‘Leviathan’ and make the case for an absolute monarch and a strong central government. Hobbes other major works include De Cive (1642), De Corpore (1655), and De Homine (1658) as well as Behemoth (1681) which was published after his death. A polymath, Hobbes also wrote about such diverse topics as theology, optics, geometry, history and ethics, among many other topics. Hobbes is considered a central figure in 17th century philosophy and his works often form a cornerstone of any college-level class on politics, government and societal structure.
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