Governments were created, according to Hobbes, to protect people from their own selfishness and evil. He believed that it is not possible for people to have both freedom and peace, since the state of freedom is a state of unlimited greed and war. Joining together to form societies is thus humankind's only possibility for peace. The best government is one that has the great power of a leviathan, or sea monster. Hobbes believed in the rule of a king or queen because he felt a country needs an authority figure to provide direction and leadership. Because the people are only interested in promoting their own interests, Hobbes believed that democracy-allowing citizens to vote for government leaders-would never work. Hobbes believed that without a strong government, people experience "continual fear and danger of violent death" and lives that are "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short." Stop here and discuss • For what purpose did Hobbes think governments were created? Why did Hobbes believe in the rule of a king or queen? ● Why would democracy not work, according to Hobbes?
Governments were created, according to Hobbes, to protect people from their own selfishness and evil. He believed that it is not possible for people to have both freedom and peace, since the state of freedom is a state of unlimited greed and war. Joining together to form societies is thus humankind's only possibility for peace. The best government is one that has the great power of a leviathan, or sea monster. Hobbes believed in the rule of a king or queen because he felt a country needs an authority figure to provide direction and leadership. Because the people are only interested in promoting their own interests, Hobbes believed that democracy-allowing citizens to vote for government leaders-would never work. Hobbes believed that without a strong government, people experience "continual fear and danger of violent death" and lives that are "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short." Stop here and discuss • For what purpose did Hobbes think governments were created? Why did Hobbes believe in the rule of a king or queen? ● Why would democracy not work, according to Hobbes?
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Transcribed Image Text:Governments were created, according to Hobbes, to protect people from their own
selfishness and evil. He believed that it is not possible for people to have both freedom and
peace, since the state of freedom is a state of unlimited greed and war. Joining together to
form societies is thus humankind's only possibility for peace. The best government is one
that has the great power of a leviathan, or sea monster. Hobbes believed in the rule of a king
or queen because he felt a country needs an authority figure to provide direction and
leadership. Because the people are only interested in promoting their own interests, Hobbes
believed that democracy-allowing citizens to vote for government leaders-would never
work. Hobbes believed that without a strong government, people experience "continual fear
and danger of violent death" and lives that are "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short."
Stop here
and discuss
Stop here
and discuss
• For what purpose did Hobbes think governments were created?
Why did Hobbes believe in the rule of a king or queen?
Why would democracy not work, according to Hobbes?
Hobbes reasoned that all people should voluntarily choose to relinquish (give up) their
rights to the leviathan, who then would protect people from one another and ensure peace.
This idea was not the same as divine right-the belief that monarchs are chosen by God and
thus people do not have the right to question their rule. Instead, Hobbes believed that a
ruler's absolute power comes not from God, but from people rationally deciding that this is
in their best interests. Hobbes considered that the ruler could abuse his or her absolute
power and become cruel and unfair. However, this problem could be lessened, Hobbes
believed, by appointing a diverse group of representatives to present the problems of the
common people to the leviathan. These representatives would only have the power to
present opinions, since all final decisions would be made by the leviathan.
IS
●
• For Hobbes, what was the proper role in government for the people?
Where does the leviathan get his or her power?
●
How did Hobbes propose to lessen the possibility that the leviathan
might abuse his or her power?
●
![Biographical Briefing on Thomas Hobbes
Directions: The following information will help your group prepare for the press conference in which one of you has
been assigned to play Thomas Hobbes and the rest of you have other roles to play. To prepare for the press
conference, each group member reads a section of the handout and leads a discussion of the questions following that
section.
Thomas Hobbes was born in England in 1588. This was a time of much social unrest in
England, and Hobbes later wrote that "fear and I were born twins." Hobbes' father was a
clergyman, and Hobbes was educated in the classics at Oxford University. He traveled many
times to meet writers, philosophers, and scientists of other European countries and to study
different forms of government. The English Civil War prompted Hobbes to flee to Paris and
to become a political philosopher. In 1651 Hobbes wrote his most famous work Leviathan.
In it, he argued that people are naturally wicked and cannot be trusted to govern. Therefore,
Hobbes believed that an absolute monarchy-a government that gives all power to a king or
queen-is best.
Stop here
and discuss
• What was happening in England when Hobbes was born?
• Where did Hobbes go to study government?
• What was the topic of Hobbes' book Leviathan?
Hobbes' political philosophy is based on his idea that humans are essentially selfish
creatures. He believed that all people are equal, and that this equality leads to competition
and violence. In Leviathan Hobbes wrote that humans are driven by a "perpetual and restless
desire [for] power...that ceases only in death," and that the natural condition of humankind
is a situation of "a war of every man against every man." Because he thought that people act
in their own selfish interests if they are left alone, Hobbes did not believe that people should
be trusted to make their own decisions. He also felt that nations, like people, are selfishly
motivated and in a constant battle for power and wealth. To further prove his point, Hobbes
wrote, "If men are not naturally in a state of war, why do they always carry arms and why do
they have keys to lock their doors?"
Stop here
and discuss
• What did Hobbes believe to be humankind's main characteristics?
• According to Hobbes, why should people not be trusted to make
decisions?
• What evidence did Hobbes use to prove his point that countries are in a
battle for wealth and power?
WH-10-1, Activity 1.2, Page 12](/v2/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcontent.bartleby.com%2Fqna-images%2Fquestion%2Ffe46b67b-8c99-43e9-9270-b3b5230228e3%2F5ebe07f0-4f02-477e-ad5d-3e3608afc5e1%2F2bgvl5s_processed.png&w=3840&q=75)
Transcribed Image Text:Biographical Briefing on Thomas Hobbes
Directions: The following information will help your group prepare for the press conference in which one of you has
been assigned to play Thomas Hobbes and the rest of you have other roles to play. To prepare for the press
conference, each group member reads a section of the handout and leads a discussion of the questions following that
section.
Thomas Hobbes was born in England in 1588. This was a time of much social unrest in
England, and Hobbes later wrote that "fear and I were born twins." Hobbes' father was a
clergyman, and Hobbes was educated in the classics at Oxford University. He traveled many
times to meet writers, philosophers, and scientists of other European countries and to study
different forms of government. The English Civil War prompted Hobbes to flee to Paris and
to become a political philosopher. In 1651 Hobbes wrote his most famous work Leviathan.
In it, he argued that people are naturally wicked and cannot be trusted to govern. Therefore,
Hobbes believed that an absolute monarchy-a government that gives all power to a king or
queen-is best.
Stop here
and discuss
• What was happening in England when Hobbes was born?
• Where did Hobbes go to study government?
• What was the topic of Hobbes' book Leviathan?
Hobbes' political philosophy is based on his idea that humans are essentially selfish
creatures. He believed that all people are equal, and that this equality leads to competition
and violence. In Leviathan Hobbes wrote that humans are driven by a "perpetual and restless
desire [for] power...that ceases only in death," and that the natural condition of humankind
is a situation of "a war of every man against every man." Because he thought that people act
in their own selfish interests if they are left alone, Hobbes did not believe that people should
be trusted to make their own decisions. He also felt that nations, like people, are selfishly
motivated and in a constant battle for power and wealth. To further prove his point, Hobbes
wrote, "If men are not naturally in a state of war, why do they always carry arms and why do
they have keys to lock their doors?"
Stop here
and discuss
• What did Hobbes believe to be humankind's main characteristics?
• According to Hobbes, why should people not be trusted to make
decisions?
• What evidence did Hobbes use to prove his point that countries are in a
battle for wealth and power?
WH-10-1, Activity 1.2, Page 12
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