Thomas Hobbes and his concept of the natural state

Georg Fichtner

Feb 2006 · GRIN Verlag

About this ebook

Seminar paper from the year 2005 in the subject Politics - Political Theory and the History of Ideas Journal, grade: 2,3, Venice International University, language: English, abstract: In the following work the conception of the natural state of the English philosopher Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) will be discussed. Hobbes’ entire understanding of the state can be regarded as a development series, thus his idea of people and the natural state are important conditions for the later state resulting from it. Only due to this, it becomes understandable why Hobbes designed the state as one with a sovereign leader who has almost unrestricted power. The work refers primarily to the mainwork of Thomas Hobbes: Leviathan. The particularly relevant chapters are chapters 13 and 14. The first part of this work will display Hobbes’ idea of people, the second part will analyse the natural state and the final consideration will critically point out the coherence of the anthropology and natural state and will present my personal opinion.