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Thomas Hobbes 1588-1679 an English man was inclined towards absolutism. In his works the Leviathan of 1651; stated that in the state of nature man is selfish, moved to action not by intellect and reason but by appetites, desires and passion. Law and justice are absent. Life of man is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short. Hobbes recognizes that in the state of nature there laws of nature whose essence is self preservation. In the creation of the state men relinquish all rights to the government that are inconsistent with living in peace. When a state is created the following happens:
The government is sovereign and sovereign power is absolute because sovereign power is as result of a pact which is irrevocable. Men surrender their rights to the sovereign. The sovereign represents the will of the people; anti social elements are checked the absolute authority.
Sovereignty is inalienable –there should be no power in state strong than the sovereign Sovereignty is indivisible and unpunishable; is the judge for peace and defense of his subjects; has right to make laws reward, honor and punish.
Hobbes preferred a monarchy rather than an assembly because it was consistent in policy Law is in general not counsel but command.
Liberty of the subjects was limited to which the sovereign had permitted as wells the natural rights that can be surrendered.
Theory of Hobbes Has been criticized because primitive society rested not contract but on status. He also assumed that human nature can be changed easily that is being a savage in the state of nature and saint in the state of contract.
Titany answered the question on August 27, 2021 at 05:51
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