Lockeing Up Leviathan

[Kevin_Kennedy]

Leviathan, that great mythical sea creature referenced only a handful of times in the Old Testament, was first referred to as synonymous with the State by Thomas Hobbes in his 1651 work on the social contract, entitled none other than Leviathan.

According to Hobbes, Leviathan or a strong central government is necessary to deter what Hobbes considered to be the natural state of man, which he described as "war of every man against every man". Hobbes postulated that the State brings order and peace and makes society civilized.

Without need of either advocating or rejecting Hobbes' arguments in favor of a strong State, one can hardly look upon modern governments, including the United States federal government and the individual United States, without agreeing that Hobbes' depiction of the State as a Leviathan, that is, a threatening, powerful beast, was spot-on.

Campaign For Liberty — Lockeing Up Leviathan   | by Jerry Salcido