The Mortal God -- Thomas Hobbes

Author Bio: Thomas Hobbes' most famous work is called the Leviathan and the "Mortal God" is an excerpt from it. He was an English philosopher during the English Civil War and had strong ties with the aristocracy. His book laid the foundation for Western political philosophy based on the social contract theory.

Context: Leviathan was written during the English Civil War and in response to the conflict the book demonstrates a need for a strong central authority that would hinder evil discord and civil war, leading him to desire a government of a absolutist monarchy.

Summary: Hobbes opens by commenting on the nature of man; he believes that nature has made man equal and even though they have different talents when they are all together it does not really make a difference and all men have equal ability. He then laments on the three causes of quarrel: competition, insecurity and glory. Without a common power to make all men equal, men live in a time of war consisting of every man against every man. In this state there is no room for progress and the life of man is "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short". He then comes to his conclusion that the only solution to these problems is essentially an absolutist monarch who held sovereignty over his subjects. He also references the social contract theory where man gives up his rights to the government in hopes that the government will protect those rights.

Key Quotation: "I authorize and give up my right of governing myself, to this man, or to this assembly of men, on this condition  that you give up your right To him, and authorize all his actions in like manner. This done, the multitude so united in one person , is called, a COMMONWEALTH...This is the generation of the great LEVIATHAN, or rather, to speak more reverently  of that mortal god, to which we own under the immortal God, our peace and defense."

"And...this person, is called SOVEREIGN, and said to have sovereign power; and everyone besides, his SUBJECT."