Thomas Hobbes' Ideas on Monarchy

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Assessment on Hobbes' Ideas on Monarchy

Thomas Hobbes was a proponent of the monarchal system and in this paper I will prove that Hobbes was right in supporting the monarchal system of government, I will also show the opposing school of thought, and finally, I will give you my opinion on the monarchal system. Thomas Hobbes lived from 1588-1679 and throughout most of his life there was violence going on all around him. The biggest case was the English Civil War. This war lasted about seven years and it overthrew the monarchy, which England had established many years before. After this revolution, shaky governments ruled the land for several years. But then, the English went back to the monarchal system. These times shaped Hobbes’ views and his way of thought. Hobbes became a backer of the monarchal system and expressed his thoughts through his book, Leviathan. He had several reasons that supported his zeal for monarchy. The first of which is the monarch that would be in place would look out for his people and not only for himself. Hobbes starts out by saying that if there is a thoughtful and giving monarch, he would try to encourage his people to work as hard as they possibly could. For example, if the people had to pay taxes of 10% of their total income, then the king would also get 10% of that. If the king were intelligent, he would encourage the people to work harder. This would not only increase their own personal wealth, but also that of the king’s. This may seem a bit conniving because the king is coming out of it with more money because 10% of a larger amount of total income will mean more money for the king, but the monarch is, in actuality, making lives better for the people. “Now in monarchy the private interest is th...

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...hat are the true and absolute representative of a people, to instruct men in the nature of that office, and to take heed how they admit of any other general representation upon any occasion whatsoever, if they mean to discharge the trust committed to them” (Hobbes 119-120). What Hobbes, in too many words, has said here is if you have a monarchy, representative government is unnecessary. Near the end of the quote, Hobbes is saying that unless the people who you chose to be your representatives are pure good, or saints, you should not trust them with your power. That is why a monarchy is better, according to Hobbes. One person makes the correct judgment and the people do not suffer. If a corrupt assembly in a democracy were to make a decision then the aristocracy would gain while everyone else would suffer. In this case, the aristocracy usually makes up the assembly.

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