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THOMAS HOBBES QUESTIONS

03-03-2011

 THOMAS HOBBES

1.       Why Thomas Hobbes did run away from Great Britain?

Ans: He feared that his intimate associations with royalist circles might endanger his safety.

In addition, his writings up to his flight to France had been clearly antiparliamentarian and antidemocratic.

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2.       Even though Thomas Hobbes supports absolute government, what was his main argument about men?

 Ans: Men are naturally equal in mind and body.  With regard to mental faculties, Hobbes finds an even greater natural equality. Prudence is a matter of time and experience that can be acquired by everybody.

3.       What explains Hobbes perception that “the weakest has enough strength to kill the strongest”

ANS:

As to strength of the body, the weakest has enough strength to kill the strongest, either by slaying him secretly or by allying himself with others for the purpose.

4.       Why does Hobbes argue that the basic equality of man is a principal source of trouble and misery”

Ans: Men have, in general, equal faculties; they also cherish like hopes and desires. If two men desire the same thing, which they cannot both obtain, they become enemies and seek to destroy each other.

5.       State the main features of the supposed “state of nature” identified by Thomas Hobbes

Ans:  Men are in a condition of war, of “every man against every man,” and Hobbes adds that the nature of the war, consists not in actual fighting, but in the known disposition thereto” Force and fraud, the two cardinal virtues of war, flourish in this atmosphere of perpetual fear and strife.

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6.       State the 3 main psychological forces that propel activities in a state of nature.

Ans: Competition, diffidence and glory.

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7.       State the worse form of man in a “state of nature”

Ans: there is “continual fear and danger of violent death; and the life of man, solitary, poor nasty, brutish and short”

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8.       Identify the various activities that are virtually suppressed when men are found in a “state of nature”

Ans: there is no place for industry, agriculture, navigation, trade; there are no arts or letters; no society; no amenities of civilized living.

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9.       Why is it argued by William Ebenstein that Thomas Hobbes’ “state of nature” is philosophical and not historical?

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10.   Which passion according to Hobbes inclines men to peace? Ans : fear of death

11.   According to Hobbes, under which condition will there not be the need for government at all and why does he say so?

Ans: If men were peaceable enough, Hobbes notes, to observe covenants without a superior authority for their enforcement, there would be no need for government in the first place, because there would be peace without compulsion.

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12.   Why is the Hobbesian “social contract” made between subjects and subjects and not between subjects and sovereign?

Ans: The Sovereign is not a party to the contract, but its creation. In this conception of social contract, the sovereign cannot commit any breach of covenant, because he is not a party to it.

 By participating in the creation of the sovereign, the subject is the author of all that the ruler does and must therefore not complain of any of the ruler’s actions, because he would then be deliberately doing injury to himself:

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13.   Why is a monarchy deemed the best form of government by Thomas Hobbes? Or state the reasons offered by Hobbes in his support of monarchical rule.

Ans: it suffers less from competition for office and power than do aristocracies and democracies; also, it is easier for one than for many to act resolutely and consistently.

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14.   Explain Hobbes view on the liberties of the people

Ans: There is particular danger in the liberty of the subject to challenge the wisdom of legality of the sovereign’s actions, the “poisonous doctrine” that “every private man is judge of good and evil actions,” and that “whatsoever a man does against his conscience is sin.” Against such “seditious doctrines” Hobbes demands the unqualified obedience of the subject.

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15.   Give reasons why Hobbes is against the intervening roles of groups and institutions (civic associations) especially the church in the affairs of the state.

Ans: Hobbes is particularly anxious to prevent churches from interfering in any way with the activities of the state, and in his doctrine the church becomes, in effect, a department of the state. He reminds the clergy that it is not essential to the commonwealth, and that the safety of the church depends on the state rather than the state on the safety of the church

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16.   State Hobbes’ definition of religion, true religion and superstition.

Ans: “fear of power invisible, feigned by the mind, or imagined form tales publicly allowed, religion; not allowed, superstition.”

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17.   What informs Hobbes conception of religion?

Ans: His approach to religion is by way of psychology and public policy, not by way of theology or philosophy. His definition of religion, superstition, and true religion are placed between “curiosity” and “panic terror,” which placement suggests itself Hobbes’ approach to religion

18.   From a strictly political viewpoint give 2 main reasons to explain Hobbes aversion to religion?

Ans: Hobbes saw in religions and churches the most serious danger of civil disobedience and disunity, and in the conflict of secular and divine commandments the most frequent pretext of sedition and civil war.

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19.   What advice does Hobbes give to subjects if there happens to be a conflict between divine and secular laws?

Ans: the subject should obey the civil sovereign, if compliance does not involve forfeiture of life eternal; if it does, the subject may prefer death of the body to eternal damnation of the soul.

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20.   In the Hobbesian conceptualization what is the natural law?

Ans: Hobbes list equity, justice, gratitude, and “other moral virtues” as the laws of nature.

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21.   State the distinction between civil and natural laws.

Ans: civil is written whereas the natural law is unwritten.

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22.   What does Hobbes say about “good” and “evil”

Ans: “good” and “evil” are not ethical qualities of an object or action, but merely expressions of an individual’s feelings about them: “but whatsoever is the object of any man’s appetite or desire, that is it which he for his part calls good: and the object of his hate and aversion, evil; and of his contempt, vile and inconsiderable. For these words of good, evil and contemptible are ever used with relation to the person that uses them:

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23.   What explains Hobbes hostility to natural law concepts of universal values?

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24.   State the distinction between Aristotle’s conception of forms of government and that of Thomas Hobbes?

Ans: Aristotle divided al forms of government into two broad groups, and the basic criterion of this distinction was entirely ethical: whether a government operates in the interest of the people (monarchy, aristocracy, constitutional government) or of the rulers whiles Hobbes rejects this ethical distinction completely, and holds that governments can only differ as to their numerical composition, that is, government by one (monarchy), by a few (aristocracy), or by the people (democracy)

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25.   State the practical effects of Hobbes as a political thinker on governance and explain where his views are well accepted and where they are opposed

Ans: on the whole, the practical effect o Hobbes has been to strengthen the doctrine of the absolute state. Yet the complex character of his ideas has puzzled his friends and opponents. Conservatives who believe in legitimate monarchy criticize Hobbes first for being little interested in the divine right of monarchs and in monarchy as a moral institution. Hobbes was solely concerned with the pragmatic question of effective government and legitimacy did not interest him at all.

26.   Why do religious conservatives dislike Hobbes and claim that he was an atheist?

Ans: religious conservatives have charged Hobbes with atheism because he treats the church as he treats other associations, that is, subordinates it to the state, as he subordinates theology to philosophy.

27.   Assign reasons why William Ebenstein is of the view that it is untenable to categorize Thomas Hobbes as one of the fathers of Totalitarian fascism or communism.

Ans: 1. Government is set up, according to Hobbes, by a covenant that transfers all power and authority to the sovereign. This contractual foundation of government is anathema to the modern totalitarians:

2. Hobbes assigns to the state a prosaic business: to maintain order and security for the benefit of the citizens. By contrast, the aim of the modern totalitarian state is anti-individualistic and antihedonistic: the goal of public policy is dictated, not by the longing of citizens for happiness, but by a collective purpose, such as the glory of the master race in Nazi Germany…

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28.   State the hypotheses of Hobbes’ theory of politics and explain why Ebenstein is of the opinion that it is half truth

Ans: the solitary, combative, competitive character of man—that is only a half truth. It is difficult to see how the brutes who lead a life of nasty savagery in the Hobbesian State of nature should suddenly display the prudent reasoning and cooperative effort that go into the making of the social contract creating the sovereign.

29.   To what extent does the Hobbesian state of nature manifest itself in the behavior of state towards one another in contemporary times or with appropriate examples explain the relevance of the Hobbesian state of nature in intra and inter state relations in contemporary times.

Ans: in the area of domestic political organization, the state of nature with its horrors and barbarisms has disappeared. In the area of international relations, Hobbes noted in 1651, independent sovereign states live in the state of nature, “are in continual jealousies, and in the state and posture of gladiators; having their weapons pointing, and their eyes fixed, on one another; that is, their forts, garrisons, and guns upon the frontiers of their kingdoms, and continual spies upon their neighbors; which is a posture of war.

 THE LEVIATHAN

30.   State and explain the 3 principal sources of quarrels among men according to Thomas Hobbes

Ans: State: - Competition, diffidence, glory

 Explain:

Competition: Makes men invade for gain. Use violence to make themselves masters of other men’s persons, wives, children, and cattle.

Diffidence:  for safety. To defend them

Glory: reputation. For trifles, as a word, a smile, a different opinion, and any other sign of undervalue, either direct in their persons, or by reflection in their kindred, their friends, their nation, their profession,  or other name.

31.   What are the key aspects of the state of nature as depicted by Thomas Hobbes?

Ans: there is no place for industry, because the fruit thereof is uncertain; and consequently no culture of the earth; no navigation nor use of the commodities that may be imported by sea; no commodious building; no instruments of moving, and removing, such things as require much force; no knowledge of the face of the earth; no account of time; no arts; no letters; no society and, which is the worst of all…

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32.   What is the right of nature

Ans: liberty each man has to use his own power, as he will himself, for the preservation of his own nature, that is to say, of his own life and consequently of doing anything which in his own judgment and reason he shall conceive to be the aptest means there unto.

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33.   State the meaning attached to liberty by Thomas Hobbes

Ans: the absence of external impediments, which impediments may oft take away part of a man’s power to do what he would, but cannot hinder him form using the power left him, according as his judgment and reason shall dictate to him

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34.   What is the law of nature?

Ans: A law of nature, lex naturalis, is a precept or general rule, found out by reason, by which a man is forbidden to do that which is destructive of his life or takes away the means of preserving the same, and to omit that by which he thinks it may be best preserved.

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35.   State the 2 main fundamental components of the general rule of the law of nature.

Ans: to seek peace and follow it.

         The second, the sum of the right of nature: which is, by all means we can to defend ourselves.

36.   State the 2 forms through which a man may set aside his rights.

Ans: Right is laid aside either by simply renouncing it or by transferring it to another.

By simply renouncing: when he cares not to whom the benefit thereof redounds.

By transferring: when he intends the benefit thereof to some certain person or persons.

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37.   How does the bond reached with the sovereign derive its strength?

Ans: …bonds that have their strength, not from their own nature, for nothing is more easily broken than a man’s word, but from fear of some evil consequence upon the rapture.

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38.   Which rights according to Hobbes are not transferable

Ans: At first a man cannot lay down the right of resisting them that assault him by force to take away his life, because he cannot be understood to aim thereby at any good to himself. The same may be said of wounds, and chains, and imprisonment: both because there is no benefit consequent to such patience, as there is to the patience of suffering another to be wounded or imprisoned as also because a man cannot tell, when he sees men proceed against him by violence, whether  they intend his death or not.

39.   State the main reason for the transfer of ones rights.

Ans: it is either in consideration of some right reciprocally transferred to himself, or for some other good he hopes for thereby. For it is a voluntary act: and of the voluntary acts of every man the object is some good to himself. And therefore there be some rights which no man can be understood by any words, or other signs, to have abandoned or transferred.

40.   What is a contract according to Hobbes?

Ans: the mutual transferring of right is that which men call contract.

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41.   State 2 main examples of contract which according to Hobbes are invalid or valid ab inithio

Ans: A covenant not to defend myself from force, or by force, is always void.

A covenant to accuse oneself, without assurance of pardon is likewise invalid

42.   What is the commonwealth according to Thomas Hobbes?

Ans: is one person, of whose acts a great multitude, by mutual covenants one with another, have made themselves every one the author, to the end he may use the strength and means of them all, as he shall think expedient, for their peace and common defence.

43.   Clearly state the meaning of the Leviathan as given by Hobbes

Ans:

44.   Why do men restrain themselves by living in the commonwealth?

Ans:

The foresight of their own preservation and of a more contented life thereby

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45.   How does the Hobbes commonwealth come into being?

Ans:

A commonwealth is said to be instituted when a multitude of men do agree and covenant, every one with every one, that to whatsoever man, or assembly of men, shall be given by the major part the right to present the person of them all, that is to say, to be their representative, every one-as well be that voted for it, as he that voted against it, shall authorize all the actions and judgments of that man.

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46.   State the 2 main ways through which according to Hobbes sovereign power is attained.

Ans: By natural force, as when a man makes his children to submit themselves and their children to his government as being able to destroy them if they refuse or by war subdues his enemies to his will giving them their  lives on that condition.

 The other is when men agree among themselves to submit to some man or assembly of men, voluntarily, on confidence to be protected by him against all others.                                     

47.   Distinguish between political commonwealth or commonwealth by institution and commonwealth by acquisition

Ans:

48.   Identify and discuss the rights of the Hobbesian Sovereign.

Ans:

49.   Identify and discuss the liberty of the subject of the Leviathan

Ans:

50.   Identify and discuss what Thomas Hobbes perceived as subversive political doctrines capable of undermining the commonwealth.
Ans:

POLI 302-JOHN LOCKE QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

1.       State the distinction between the Hobbesian state of nature and that of John Locke.

2.       According to Locke which 2 situations demonstrate the Lockean State of Nature in contemporary times? Ans: First, within the so-called primitive community there is a body of law that is generally known to its members. In the event of transgression, the third party pursues the malefactor, punishes him, or takes reparation from him. Second, the state of nature still exists between so-called advanced nations. To be sure, there is a body of law, international law, that is binding and recognized as such; yet, when a violation of international law occurs and there is no international judicature and enforcement agency, the injured state is authorized to punish the transgressor.

3.       State the 3 areas in which the Lockean state of nature is deemed to be deficient? ·         Ans:  First, it is not sufficiently clear. If all men were guided by pure reason they would see the same law. But men are biased by their interests and mistake their interest for general rule of law. ·         Second, there is no third-party judge who has no personal stake in disputes. Men who judge their own conflicts are apt to be carried away by passion and revenge. ·         Third, in the state of nature the injured party is not always strong enough to execute the just sentence of the law.

4.       Why do men in the state of nature enter into a contract?

5.       What is the purpose of the social contract? Ans:  The purpose of the social contract is to establish organized law and order so that the uncertainties of the state of nature will be replaced by the predictability of known laws and impartial institutions.

6.       Why does John Locke justify war? Ans: Locke justifies war only “in defense of the commonwealth from foreign injury” and he castigates aggressive warfare for the purpose of imperial expansion

7.       Why is it difficult to establish a world government? ·         Ans:  Nations in Locke’s time were not willing (as they are still not willing) to submerge their political freedom and independence in the larger framework of a world government ·         They do not sufficiently trust that, in the world as it is, world government would be a better guarantor of their national selfhood and integrity than the existence of numerous states, inconvenient and risky as such a system, or lack of system, is. ·         A sense of community is not as yet universal enough to serve as a firm foundation of universal government.

8.       Explain why Locke confines his analysis of the state of nature, natural law, society and government to the problems that arise within a group of men rather than to mankind as a whole Society or sense of community precedes and makes possible the establishment of government, and Locke saw, as many would still see today, that such a sense of community is not as yet universal enough to serve as a firm foundation for universal government.

9.       Name and explain 3 parties to a trust? ·         THE TRUSTOR: who creates the trust; ·         THE TRUSTEE: charged with the administration of the trust ·         THE BENEFICIARY: in whose interest the trust is created

10.   Identify those with rights in the following context a.       Under the theory of divine rights Only the ruler has rights b.      Under the theory of contract Both the people and government have rights c.       In Locke’s conception of government Only the people have rights

11.   Give 3 men reasons to explain Locke’s distrust of executive power and his confidence in the legislature ·         Executive power is visibly subordinate and accountable to the legislature ·         May be at pleasure changed and displaced ·         The legislature is supreme, but not absolutely; it is supreme only in relation to other organs of government.

12.   Why does Locke see society as more important and enduring than a government? The dissolution of government does not entail that of society, whereas if society is dissolved, it is certain that the government of that society cannot remain.

13.   Why is it argued that the 14th amendment of the US constitution embodies the Lockean idea of property?

14.   How do events in our contemporary world system debunk the notion that democracy contains within itself the seeds of anarchy and rebellion?

15.   To what extent is the US constitution Lockean in character?

16.   Briefly state Locke’s labour theory of property.

17.   To what extent was Locke’s labour theory of property useful to socialist? The socialist used Locke’s labour theory of property to demand communal control or ownership of the basic means of production.

18.   Which major 4 limitations on legislative power were identified by John Locke? ·         The law must apply equally to all, rich and poor, favorite at court and countryman at plough. ·         The law must not be arbitrary and oppressive, but must be designed for the good of the people. ·         The legislature must not raise taxes without the consent of the people or their representatives. ·         The legislature must not transfer its lawmaking power to anybody else.

19.   Explain why Locke is of the view that absolute monarchy is worse than the state of nature. In the state of nature, everybody is judge in his own case, whereas in absolute monarchy there is only one person who has that liberty: the king.

20.   According to Locke which factors may lead to the destruction of government from within? ·         Government may be destroyed from within by the chief executive if he overrides the laws of the legislature by his own arbitrary will, ·         Hinders the legislative assembly from meeting or acting freely, ·         Prevents elections ·         Delivers the people into the subjection of a foreign power.

21.   State 3 main constraints to executive power inherent in the law of nature.

22.   What does Locke perceive as proper remedy for the inconvenience of the State of nature? Civil government is the proper remedy for the inconveniences of the state of nature.

23.   What is the state of war in the Lockean state of nature? The state of war is a state of enmity and destruction.

24.   How can a state of war be avoided? Men putting themselves into society, and quitting the state of nature.