In this review of Thomas Hobbes"
Leviathan", the
author describes the book as innovative and a great philosophical work. He describes how Hobbes
argues that mankind, in order to live peacefully, ought to submit to the
power of an ultimate,
sovereign authority. This power would be unlimited and total, the very definition of a tyrannical state. The author tells us that Hobbes states only a "leviathan" can govern man. The author points out how Hobbes argues that without such extreme control to oversee the lives and interactions of men, every society would slowly disassemble and capitulate into a civil war. In conclusion the author discusses Hobbes argument that government is a necessary component in the building of peace and security within civilized groups. He believes that because man is so violent in his "natural" condition, any sovereign that governs man is seen as an overbearing taskmaster.
More summaries about the "Leviathan" by Thomas Hobbes