The Anatomy of War: A Study on Human Nature and the Emergence of Laws

In this assignment content, Thomas Hobbes discusses the concept of 'warre' and how it relates to human nature. He argues that, in the absence of a common power to govern, humans are naturally inclined towards war, where every person is at liberty to do what they like without fear of punishment or consequences. This leads to a state of constant insecurity and perpetual war, where force and fraud are the primary means of survival. Hobbes suggests that the only way to achieve peace is for individuals to voluntarily surrender their right to all things, allowing them to enjoy security and stability. He also introduces the concept of 'natural law' or 'law of nature', which dictates that humans should seek peace and avoid war whenever possible.

CHAPTER XIII
OF THE NATURALL CONDITION OF MANKIND,
AS CONCERNING THEIR FELICITY, AND MISERY
Nature hath made men so equall, in the faculties of body, and mind;
as that though there bee found one man sometimes manifestly
stronger in body, or of quicker mind then another; yet when
all is reckoned together, the difference between man, and man,
is not so considerable, as that one man can thereupon claim to
himselfe any benefit, to which another may not pretend, as well as he.
For as to the strength of body, the weakest has strength enough to
kill the strongest, either by secret machination, or by confederacy
with others, that are in the same danger with himselfe.
And as to the faculties of the mind, (setting aside the arts grounded
upon words, and especially that skill of proceeding upon generall,
and infallible rules, called Science; which very few have,
and but in few things; as being not a native faculty, born with us;
nor attained, (as Prudence,) while we look after somewhat els,)
I find yet a greater equality amongst men, than that of strength.
For Prudence, is but Experience; which equall time, equally bestowes
on all men, in those things they equally apply themselves unto.
That which may perhaps make such equality incredible, is but
a vain conceipt of ones owne wisdome, which almost all men
think they have in a greater degree, than the Vulgar; that is,
than all men but themselves, and a few others, whom by Fame,
or for concurring with themselves, they approve. For such is the
nature of men, that howsoever they may acknowledge many others
to be more witty, or more eloquent, or more learned; Yet they will
hardly believe there be many so wise as themselves: For they see
their own wit at hand, and other mens at a distance. But this proveth

rather that men are in that point equall, than unequall. For there is
not ordinarily a greater signe of the equall distribution of any thing,
than that every man is contented with his share.
From Equality Proceeds Diffidence (insecurity)
From this equality of ability, ariseth equality of hope in the
attaining of our Ends. And therefore if any two men desire
the same thing, which neverthelesse they cannot both enjoy,
they become enemies; and in the way to their End, (which is principally
their owne conservation, and sometimes their delectation only,)
endeavour to destroy, or subdue one an other. And from hence
it comes to passe, that where an Invader hath no more to feare,
than an other mans single power; if one plant, sow, build,
or possesse a convenient Seat, others may probably be expected
to come prepared with forces united, to dispossesse, and deprive him,
not only of the fruit of his labour, but also of his life, or liberty.
And the Invader again is in the like danger of another.
From Diffidence Warre
And from this diffidence of one another, there is no way for any man
to secure himselfe, so reasonable, as Anticipation; that is, by force,
or wiles, to master the persons of all men he can, so long,
till he see no other power great enough to endanger him: And this is
no more than his own conservation requireth, and is generally allowed.
Also because there be some, that taking pleasure in contemplating
their own power in the acts of conquest, which they pursue farther
than their security requires; if others, that otherwise would be glad
to be at ease within modest bounds, should not by invasion
increase their power, they would not be able, long time, by standing
only on their defence, to subsist. And by consequence, such augmentation

of dominion over men, being necessary to a mans conservation,
it ought to be allowed him.
Againe, men have no pleasure, (but on the contrary a great deale
of griefe) in keeping company, where there is no power able to
over-awe them all. For every man looketh that his companion should
value him, at the same rate he sets upon himselfe: And upon all
signes of contempt, or undervaluing, naturally endeavours,
as far as he dares (which amongst them that have no common power,
to keep them in quiet, is far enough to make them destroy each other,)
to extort a greater value from his contemners, by dommage;
and from others, by the example.
So that in the nature of man, we find three principall causes
of quarrel. First, Competition; Secondly, Diffidence; Thirdly, Glory.
The first, maketh men invade for Gain; the second, for Safety;
and the third, for Reputation. The first use Violence, to make
themselves Masters of other mens persons, wives, children, and cattell;
the second, to defend them; the third, for trifles, as a word,
a smile, a different opinion, and any other signe of undervalue,
either direct in their Persons, or by reflexion in their Kindred,
their Friends, their Nation, their Profession, or their Name.
Out Of Civil States,
There Is Alwayes Warre Of Every One Against Every One
Hereby it is manifest, that during the time men live without
a common Power to keep them all in awe, they are in that condition
which is called Warre; and such a warre, as is of every man,
against every man. For WARRE, consisteth not in Battell onely,
or the act of fighting; but in a tract of time, wherein the Will
to contend by Battell is sufficiently known: and therefore the
notion of Time, is to be considered in the nature of Warre;

as it is in the nature of Weather. For as the nature of Foule weather,
lyeth not in a showre or two of rain; but in an inclination thereto
of many dayes together: So the nature of War, consisteth not
in actuall fighting; but in the known disposition thereto,
during all the time there is no assurance to the contrary.
All other time is PEACE.
The Incommodites (the inconvenience or discomfort) Of Such A War
Whatsoever therefore is consequent to a time of Warre, where every
man is Enemy to every man; the same is consequent to the time,
wherein men live without other security, than what their own strength,
and their own invention shall furnish them withall. In such condition,
there is no place for Industry; because the fruit thereof is uncertain;
and consequently no Culture of the Earth; no Navigation, nor use
of the commodities that may be imported by Sea; no commodious
Building; no Instruments of moving, and removing such things
as require much force; no Knowledge of the face of the Earth;
no account of Time; no Arts; no Letters; no Society; and which is
worst of all, continuall feare, and danger of violent death;
And the life of man, solitary, poore, nasty, brutish, and short.
It may seem strange to some man, that has not well weighed these things;
that Nature should thus dissociate, and render men apt to invade,
and destroy one another: and he may therefore, not trusting to this
Inference, made from the Passions, desire perhaps to have the same
confirmed by Experience. Let him therefore consider with himselfe,
when taking a journey, he armes himselfe, and seeks to go well
accompanied; when going to sleep, he locks his dores; when even
in his house he locks his chests; and this when he knows there bee Lawes,
and publike Officers, armed, to revenge all injuries shall bee done him;

what opinion he has of his fellow subjects, when he rides armed;
of his fellow Citizens, when he locks his dores; and of his children,
and servants, when he locks his chests. Does he not there as much
accuse mankind by his actions, as I do by my words? But neither of us
accuse mans nature in it. The Desires, and other Passions of man,
are in themselves no Sin. No more are the Actions, that proceed
from those Passions, till they know a Law that forbids them;
which till Lawes be made they cannot know: nor can any Law be made,
till they have agreed upon the Person that shall make it.
It may peradventure be thought, there was never such a time,
nor condition of warre as this; and I believe it was never generally so,
over all the world: but there are many places, where they live so now.
For the savage people in many places of America, except the government
of small Families, the concord whereof dependeth on naturall lust,
have no government at all; and live at this day in that brutish manner,
as I said before. Howsoever, it may be perceived what manner of life
there would be, where there were no common Power to feare;
by the manner of life, which men that have formerly lived under
a peacefull government, use to degenerate into, in a civill Warre.
But though there had never been any time, wherein particular men
were in a condition of warre one against another; yet in all times, Kings,
and persons of Soveraigne authority, because of their Independency,
are in continuall jealousies, and in the state and posture of Gladiators;
having their weapons pointing, and their eyes fixed on one another;
that is, their Forts, Garrisons, and Guns upon the Frontiers of
their Kingdomes; and continuall Spyes upon their neighbours;
which is a posture of War. But because they uphold thereby,
the Industry of their Subjects; there does not follow from it,
that misery, which accompanies the Liberty of particular men.

In Such A Warre, Nothing Is Unjust
To this warre of every man against every man, this also is consequent;
that nothing can be Unjust. The notions of Right and Wrong,
Justice and Injustice have there no place. Where there is no
common Power, there is no Law: where no Law, no Injustice.
Force, and Fraud, are in warre the two Cardinall vertues.
Justice, and Injustice are none of the Faculties neither of the Body,
nor Mind. If they were, they might be in a man that were alone
in the world, as well as his Senses, and Passions. They are Qualities,
that relate to men in Society, not in Solitude. It is consequent also
to the same condition, that there be no Propriety, no Dominion,
no Mine and Thine distinct; but onely that to be every mans that he
can get; and for so long, as he can keep it. And thus much for
the ill condition, which man by meer Nature is actually placed in;
though with a possibility to come out of it, consisting partly in
the Passions, partly in his Reason.
The Passions That Incline Men To Peace
The Passions that encline men to Peace, are Feare of Death;
Desire of such things as are necessary to commodious living;
and a Hope by their Industry to obtain them. And Reason suggesteth
convenient Articles of Peace, upon which men may be drawn to agreement.
These Articles, are they, which otherwise are called the Lawes of Nature:
whereof I shall speak more particularly, in the two following Chapters.
CHAPTER XIV
OF THE FIRST AND SECOND NATURALL LAWES, AND OF CONTRACTS
Right Of Nature What
The RIGHT OF NATURE, which Writers commonly call Jus Naturale,

is the Liberty each man hath, to use his own power, as he will himselfe,
for the preservation of his own Nature; that is to say, of his own Life;
and consequently, of doing any thing, which in his own Judgement,
and Reason, hee shall conceive to be the aptest means thereunto.
Liberty What
By LIBERTY, is understood, according to the proper signification
of the word, the absence of externall Impediments: which Impediments,
may oft take away part of a mans power to do what hee would;
but cannot hinder him from using the power left him, according as
his judgement, and reason shall dictate to him.
A Law Of Nature What
A LAW OF NATURE, (Lex Naturalis,) is a Precept, or generall Rule,
found out by Reason, by which a man is forbidden to do, that,
which is destructive of his life, or taketh away the means
of preserving the same; and to omit, that, by which he thinketh
it may be best preserved. For though they that speak of this subject,
use to confound Jus, and Lex, Right and Law; yet they ought to be
distinguished; because RIGHT, consisteth in liberty to do,
or to forbeare; Whereas LAW, determineth, and bindeth to one of them:
so that Law, and Right, differ as much, as Obligation, and Liberty;
which in one and the same matter are inconsistent.
Naturally Every Man Has Right To Everything
And because the condition of Man, (as hath been declared in the precedent
Chapter) is a condition of Warre of every one against every one;
in which case every one is governed by his own Reason; and there is
nothing he can make use of, that may not be a help unto him,
in preserving his life against his enemyes; It followeth,
that in such a condition, every man has a Right to every thing;
even to one anothers body. And therefore, as long as this naturall Right

of every man to every thing endureth, there can be no security to any man,
(how strong or wise soever he be,) of living out the time,
which Nature ordinarily alloweth men to live.
The Fundamental Law Of Nature
And consequently it is a precept, or generall rule of Reason,
"That every man, ought to endeavour Peace, as farre as he
has hope of obtaining it; and when he cannot obtain it,
that he may seek, and use, all helps, and advantages of Warre."
The first branch, of which Rule, containeth the first,
and Fundamentall Law of Nature; which is, "To seek Peace,
and follow it." The Second, the summe of the Right of Nature;
which is, "By all means we can, to defend our selves."
The Second Law Of Nature
From this Fundamentall Law of Nature, by which men are commanded
to endeavour Peace, is derived this second Law; "That a man be willing,
when others are so too, as farre-forth, as for Peace, and defence
of himselfe he shall think it necessary, to lay down this right
to all things; and be contented with so much liberty against other men,
as he would allow other men against himselfe." For as long as
every man holdeth this Right, of doing any thing he liketh;
so long are all men in the condition of Warre. But if other men
will not lay down their Right, as well as he; then there is no
Reason for any one, to devest himselfe of his: For that were
to expose himselfe to Prey, (which no man is bound to) rather than
to dispose himselfe to Peace. This is that Law of the Gospell;
"Whatsoever you require that others should do to you, that do
ye to them." And that Law