Summary


UNDERSTANDING OF SOVEREIGNTY IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SOCIAL ORDER AND FREEDOM OF THE INDIVIDUAL ACCORDING TO THOMAS HOBBES
Throughout history, many political philosophers have contributed the development of social order by putting forward differing ideas on the conceptions of state, sovereignty and liberty. Thomas Hobbes is an English philosopher who lived between 1588 and 1679 as one of the founders of modern political philosophy, renowned for his typologies of "law of nature" and "social contract". Hobbes pleaded that the egalitarian and absolutely liberated form of man in condition of mere nature at birth causes a permanent condition of war, due to his ever-lasting lust and desires for fame and glory. He opines that everyone would benefit if they transfer all their rights and freedoms to a single and absolute sovereign power in exchange for the protection of their safety and rights. Hobbes gives prominence to the right of the individual to a free living, against the absolute liberty of the state. Adopting, in principle, a state sovereign irresponsible for any of its actions versus individuals who must strictly continue to obey and fulfil its orders for the sake of unison and integrity of the state, Hobbes puts the highlight on the dominant role of the Leviathan's sword being sharp and reckless against social disorder, by saying that covenants, without the Sword, are but Words and of no strength to secure a man at all.

Keywords
Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan, Sovereignty, Liberty

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