Leviathan Summary | Chapterly

Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes: A Complete Summary "The life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short." Overview Leviathan (1651) is the founding text of modern political philosophy. Written during the English Civil War, it presents Hobbes's argument for why humans need strong government and how political authority is legitimately established. The "Leviathan" of the title is the state itself—a kind of artificial person created by the social contract, pictured on the famous frontispiece as a giant figure composed of many smaller humans, wielding sword and scepter over the land. The State of Nature Hobbes begins with a thought experiment: imagine humans without government, in a "state of nature." Human Nature Hobbes sees humans as fundamentally equal in ability (even the weakest can kill the strongest through cunning or alliance) and as primarily self-interested, seeking: Self-preservation Power to secure future needs "Felicity" (continued success in obtaining desires) The Problem of Scarcity When people want the same things and there's not enough for everyone: "If any two men desire the same thing, which nevertheless they cannot both enjoy, they become enemies." Three Causes of Conflict 1. Competition: Fighting for gain 2. Diffidence: Fighting for safety (preemptive attack) 3. Glory: Fighting for...