Your Politics Guide

Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) was an early conservative thinker whose work laid the foundations for traditional views that make up conservatism.

Pessimistic View of Human Nature: Hobbes believed humans are naturally selfish, driven by desire and have the innate fear of being vulnerable. Without strong authority, life would be "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short."
Social Contract: People surrender some freedoms to a sovereign authority in exchange for order. The state exists to prevent chaos and protect its citizens from violence.
Absolute Authority: Hobbes argued for a powerful, undivided government to maintain peace.
Order: The state's main role is to provide order, protect people from each other, and uphold laws. An ordered society should balance the need for security alongside individual freedoms.
Organic Society: Society is a collective body that needs strong leadership to function.

Hobbes's ideas shaped conservative attitudes towards the need for a strong state.
He influenced later thinkers such as Edmund Burke which helped form the development of traditional conservatism.
His concept of the social contract remains central to debates about government legitimacy coexisting with individual freedoms.

Leviathan (1651) - Hobbes's most famous work and one you should DEFINETLY reference in your essays. It outlines his theory of the social contract and his view on human nature. Try to reference this in an essay when mentioning Hobbes or his view on human nature!

Thomas Hobbes