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Thomas Hobbes

Leviathan

Leviathan or The Matter, Forme and Power of a Common Wealth Ecclesiasticall and Civil – commonly referred to as Leviathan – is a book written by Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679) and published in 1651 (revised Latin edition 1668). Its name derives from the biblical Leviathan. The work concerns the structure of society and legitimate government, and is regarded as one of the earliest and most influential examples of social contract theory. Leviathan ranks as a classic western work on statecraft comparable to Machiavelli's The Prince. Written during the English Civil War (1642–1651), Leviathan argues for a social contract and rule by an absolute sovereign. Hobbes wrote that civil war and the brute situation of a state of nature («the war of all against all») could only be avoided by strong undivided government.
786 printed pages
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Quotes

  • Jan Nohas quoted5 years ago
    For men measure, not onely other men, but all other things, by themselves:
  • Adam Smithhas quoted2 months ago
    Neverthelesse it is not Prudence that distinguisheth man from beast. There be beasts, that at a year old observe more, and pursue that which is for their good, more prudently, than a child can do at ten.
  • Adam Smithhas quoted2 months ago
    A Signe, is the Event Antecedent, of the Consequent; and contrarily, the Consequent of the Antecedent, when the like Consequences have been observed, before: And the oftner they have been observed, the lesse uncertain is the Signe. And therefore he that has most experience in any kind of businesse, has most Signes, whereby to guesse at the Future time, and consequently is the most prudent

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