Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgments
- A note on references
- Dedication
- INTRODUCTION
- PART I THE RELIGIOUS BACKGROUND TO HOBBES'S PHILOSOPHY
- PART II LAW, MORALITY, AND GOD
- Chapter 3 POWER, OBLIGATION, AND JUSTICE
- Chapter 4 LAW
- Chapter 5 THE HISTORY AND IDEA OF COVENANTS
- Chapter 6 SOVEREIGN-MAKING COVENANTS
- PART III RELIGION WITHIN THE LIMITS OF SCIENCE AND POLITICS
- Conclusion
- Appendix A Curley on Hobbes
- Appendix B Skinner on Hobbes
- Appendix C The frontispiece to Leviathan
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
Chapter 6 - SOVEREIGN-MAKING COVENANTS
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 30 December 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgments
- A note on references
- Dedication
- INTRODUCTION
- PART I THE RELIGIOUS BACKGROUND TO HOBBES'S PHILOSOPHY
- PART II LAW, MORALITY, AND GOD
- Chapter 3 POWER, OBLIGATION, AND JUSTICE
- Chapter 4 LAW
- Chapter 5 THE HISTORY AND IDEA OF COVENANTS
- Chapter 6 SOVEREIGN-MAKING COVENANTS
- PART III RELIGION WITHIN THE LIMITS OF SCIENCE AND POLITICS
- Conclusion
- Appendix A Curley on Hobbes
- Appendix B Skinner on Hobbes
- Appendix C The frontispiece to Leviathan
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
In this chapter I shall explain how humans are able to transfer their right of nature to a separate person and thereby institute a commonwealth. In Leviathan, the institution of the commonwealth is supposed to depend upon an interplay between authorization and authority. I shall argue that Hobbes's idea of authorization is confused. Hobbes also claims that there are two ways in which a commonwealth can be instituted. The first way results in what he calls “sovereignty by institution.” The second way results in what he calls “sovereignty by acquisition.” I shall argue that Hobbes is correct to say that so far as sovereignty is concerned, the differences between them are insignificant. Finally, since the model for these sovereign-making covenants comes from the biblical idea of a covenant, I shall briefly discuss Hobbes's treatment of the covenants in which God figures.
SOVEREIGN-MAKING COVENANTS AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD BY NATURE
I have been arguing that sovereign-making covenants rest upon the power of God, because covenants need to be binding. They are binding only if the laws of nature are literally laws; and the laws of nature are literally laws only if God's power underwrites them. In addition to this chain of power reaching from the earthly sovereign up to the heavenly God, there is an analogy between the earthly sovereign and God. The earthly sovereign is sovereign only because he has over-whelming power to accompany his natural right to all things.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The Two Gods of LeviathanThomas Hobbes on Religion and Politics, pp. 161 - 182Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1992