Political Essay
ljj
HobbesMay4.pptxSo how do we understand politics?
Break political unit into its smallest component part; introspect, read thyself!
What do we find inside individuals?
Driven by passions; See ch. 6, pp. 34-35 (116-117)
What is happiness? “There is no summum bonum…no finis ultimus”; see Ch. 11, p. 57 (139);Ch. 6, p. 34 (116); Ch. 6 p. 28 (110)
Reason: not a governor, but a tool; See Ch. 5, pp. 22-23 (104-5), p. 25 (107); Ch. 46, pp. 453-4(535-536)
Desires; See Ch. 11, p. 58 (140)
Strong propensity toward conflict; See Ch. 11, pp. 61-63 (143-5)
Perverse kind of equality. See Ch. 13, p. 74 (156)
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Hobbes’ thought experiment: the “state of nature”
ch.XIII, pp. 74-76 (156-8)
Men by nature equal, 74 (156)
From equality proceedeth diffidence 75 (157)
From diffidence war 75 (157)
So life in the state of nature is:
“solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short” 76 (158)
“war of all against all” 76 (158)
“in such condition, there is no place for industry, because the fruit thereof is uncertain” 76 (158)
“where no law, no justice and injustice…no mine and thine” 78 (160)
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So what is to be done?
Ch.XIV: 1st and 2nd Laws of Nature, Ch. 14, p. 80 (162)
Counsel of reason: “endeavour peace”
Our reason calls on us to get out of such a situation
Lay down your right to all things and be contented with as much liberty as you would allow others against yourself.
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Civil government as a contract
The social contract tradition
Politics is like economics: “let’s make a deal”
“The bonds of words are too weak…” p. 84 (166)
BUT: who will enforce the contract?
“if there be a common power set over them both…” p. 84 (166)
Contract: mutual transferring of rights
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Hobbes’ solution: absolutism
The sovereign: represents every member of the commonwealth
His power is our power
We “authorize” his actions, p.109 (191), 111 (193), 112 (194)
Look at the frontispiece (80)
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Why accept?
Because it is in your self-interest, if you understand it correctly
Politics is about making calculations about what suits your own interest, NOT acting according to virtue
Assumptions of his argument (equality, self-interest) are modern, but conclusion (absolutism) is premodern/ancient!
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No justice in the state of nature: we need an interpreter/arbiter
p. 100 (182): As long as a man is in the condition of mere nature, which is a condition of war of all against all, private appetite is the measure of good and evil.
P. 114 (196): “the laws concerning meum (mine) and tuum (thine) are in vain.”
p. 98 (180): “no man is a fit arbitrator in his own cause.”
p. 89 (171): “Therefore, before the names of just and unjust can have place, there must be some coercive power to compel men equally to the performance of their covenants... the definition of injustice nothing other than the not performance of covenant.”
pp. 113-114: “sovereign power (must be) judge of opinions and doctrines.”
p. 160 (242)
Also: no real rights or liberty in the state of nature
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