Thomas Hobbes: The Social Contract

The English philosopher Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679), in Leviathan, provides one of the most influential arguments in favor of the idea that a binding social contract among individual persons underlies and supports political order within civil society. Let me explain it briefly today before proceeding to examine it in light of contemporary politics in the U.S.

The basic idea is that prior to the existence of civil society, in the state of nature, human beings are in permanent danger of mutual aggression for the sake of resources and power. Our only temporary security lies in subduing and dominating others. Our mental and physical capacities are roughly equal, however, so even if we may outwit or overpower our rivals provisionally, we are always in danger of being overpowered or outwitted. There may always be, so to speak, an Achilles or an Odysseus ready to overcome us by force or tactics in the struggle for security through domination.

Importantly, in the state of nature there is no morality or immorality; it is an amoral state. There is no justice or injustice; it is simply a lawless condition without any form of justice. It simply is what it is: our natural condition.

There is, however, one fundamental right of nature, namely,

the liberty each man has to use his own power, as he will himself, for the preservation of his own nature; that is to say, of his own life; and consequently, of doing anything, which in his own judgment and reason, he shall conceive to be the aptest means thereunto.

In other words, we can do anything it takes to secure our survival: whack, enslave, maim, kill. There are no limits, and there is no appeal to nonexistent morality or justice.

Though we have the natural right of absolute liberty, this is not a situation we like. There is "continual fear, and danger of violent death; and the life of man [is] solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short." Thus our passions (our desire for security) and our reason (prudence) lead us in our search for peace and security above all.

Fortunately, nature endowed us with prudential reason, so we all can figure out four precepts of prudence, or reasonable principles for survival, that can lead us all to peace:

1. To seek peace above all and follow it.
2. To be willing to give up our own liberty in proportional degree to all other people. This requires a contract or “mutual transferring or right.”
3. To fulfill without exception our covenants or contracts.
4. To transfer our rights to an arbitrator or sovereign.

In short, we all figure out that if we transfer our natural right to defend ourselves at all costs to a powerful ruler, say a monarch or a State, that ruler will warrant peace and security by enforcing law.

This requires a social contract and the promulgation of law. When law is formulated, justice is created. The only justice is the law. Or more precisely, the only injustice is breaking the law.

Each person must agree to this contract:

I authorize and give up my right of governing myself, to this man, or to this assembly of men, on this condition, that you give up your right to him, and authorize all his actions in like manner.

In this way, the Commonwealth is created. Each of us becomes the subject of a monarchy or the citizen of an authoritarian republic, for example.

In fact, we become part of one indivisible person, the State, created for securing peace among us and ensuring common defense against rival States.

Let me ponder this a while. My immediate reaction is to argue against this view right away. It may be better, though, to try to understand why many people are Hobbesian in thought and practice.