In the given excerpt from the Leviathan, Thomas Hobbes gives his account of how the only effective social structure can be built. Through the process of burrowing deep into the human mind and soul, he explains his views of how liberty, fear, and necessity are all consistent in the formation of a commonwealth. Despite Hobbes’ strong claims that one’s fear of the law and absolute submission to a sovereignty are the only effective forms of government, a civil society made “of the people, by the people and for the people” (Abraham Lincoln) is much more effective.

Thomas Hobbes believes that a person acting in fear of the law is acting freely and all of their actions derive from necessity. Therefore, he conjures up the claim that a society based on fear of the government is based on necessity and is therefore effective. Although his calculations are quite clever, they are equally false. According to Thomas Jefferson, “When the people fear the government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.” Since one of the greatest leaders of our country also stands in dissonance with the outrageous beliefs of Thomas Hobbes, it is very probable that his ideas of a truly effective civil society are entirely false. In addition, the manners by which Hobbes reaches his conclusions, those of far fetched tangents and rabbit holes, are unnecessarily confusing and obscure. To state that man acts from necessity and fear, and to therefore conclude that fear is necessity; this is completely preposterous. Thus, the whole issue is childish.

It is from experience that I state that men provide their best fruits to the Commonwealth not when they are in fear of the government, but when they are part of the government. I can remember a time when a teacher would receive no respect from students and nothing but constant rebellion. This is because she payed no attention to individuals and was unjust to the entire majority. On the other hand, another teacher of mine entered into a one-on-one relationship with the students. This provided active participation in their own education and a level of accountability for behavior and academic involvement. Clearly, the latter situation prevails and, in terms of civil society, is the most effective form of government.

Thus it is derived that men who live in fear of the government have no respect for it, but when the government’s authority is all inclusive of its subjects, then men begin to take part in the Commonwealth and enjoy the fruits of their own labor. When a great incentive is offered for the sacrifice of minute liberties, there is discipline, and with it, its consequential freedom. Through this type of freedom we find a truly beneficial liberty. A liberty that men like Thomas Hobbes cannot understand. A liberty that will survive through many ages because of its discipline and sacrifice, not fear and submission.

This entry was posted by vincentcoppola, on Friday, October 26, 2007. You can leave your response.