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What did people receive in exchange for obeying a sovereign under Thomas Hobbesâs theory?
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Thomas Hobbes
Thomas Hobbes, detail of an oil painting by John Michael Wright; in the National Portrait Gallery, London.
In the political theory of Thomas Hobbes, individuals enter into a social contract to escape the "state of nature"âa condition of constant war and "continual fear, and danger of violent death".12
In exchange for surrendering their liberty and the right to govern themselves, people receive:
- Physical safety: The primary purpose of the sovereign is to ensure the protection of subjects from external and internal threats.13
- A modicum of well-being: The sovereign is responsible for managing the means of collective security and stability, which allows for a more orderly life than the "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short" existence found outside of civil society.12
Hobbes argued that this trade is both prudentially and morally necessary, as it is the only way to achieve peace. While the sovereign is not a party to the contract and makes no promises, the subjects' obligation to obey remains as long as the sovereign effectively provides this protection.12