Thomas Hobbes and Modern Liberalism - 1505 Words

Introduction Thomas Hobbes is frequently credited as being a forefather to modern liberalism. With his beliefs on individualism, along with his agreeance and acceptance of intellectual and moral autonomy it is easy to understand why many modern liberals would agree with Hobbes’s political philosophy. However, Thomas Hobbes does not support the concept of a democratic government, rather he supported the notion of a absolutist government up until his death. Special attention must be given to Hobbes’s denial that autonomy can be thought of, or conceived as, a form of self-government. It is important to take note that Hobbes’s argument against democracy is significantly more exhaustive than merely autonomy. Hobbes believes that democracy†¦show more content†¦Hobbes stated in Philosophical rudiments concerning government and society a substantial group of that size is an unsound group for â€Å"though in their persons they run together, yet they concur not always in th eir designs.† (Hobbes, 1651, p. 126). What Hobbes is saying here is that prior to any type of government being implemented the group must unify its self. Hobbes then makes a realization that men who meet together with the intention to build a city were a democracy due to the meeting (Hobbes, 1640). Of the three forms of government: â€Å"The first in order of time... is democracy; and it must be so of necessity, because an aristocracy and a monarchy require nomination of persons agreed upon, which agreement in a great multitude of men, must consist in the consent of the major part; and where the votes of the major part involve the votes of the rest, there is actually a democracy† (Hobbes, 1651, pp. 138-139) As one can clearly see it is evident that democracy, in this state of affairs at least, is not equal to either monarchy or aristocracy because â€Å"democracy is by institution, the beginning both of aristocracy and monarchy† (Hobbes, 1651, p. 141). Wise men will rapidly and swiftly substitute either aristocracy or monarchy due to the fact that democracy is a predominantly unstable and unreliable type of government. Now that a foundation has been laid and we have a better understanding ofShow MoreRelatedJohn Locke: Founding Father of Modern Era Liberalism1444 Words   |  6 PagesThomas Hobbes, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and John Locke are all great thinkers who were greatly influential in forming philosophies that would affect the future of politics. By analyzing each philosopher’s ideology, we can identify which thinker’s theory reflected modern era liberalism the most. 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