A CRITIQUE OF THOMAS HOBBE’S NOTION OF THE LEVIATHAN BY ARCHIBONG, OTO-OBONG OKON AK20/ART/PHL/008

This work provides an appraisal of Thomas Hobbes’s notion of the Leviathan, a fundamental idea in his political philosophy, as articulated in his 1651 work Leviathan. Hobbes’s Leviathan represents a powerful, centralized authority necessary to maintain order and prevent the chaos of the state of nature, where life is characterized by fear, violence, and the constant threat of death. Through the social contract, individuals agree to surrender certain freedoms in exchange for security, creating a sovereign authority that has absolute power over its subjects. This work examines the philosophical, political, and moral implications of such a concentrated power structure and the relevance of the Leviathan to contemporary issues of governance, security, and individual rights, especially in Nigeria. While Hobbes’s advocacy for an all-powerful sovereign has been criticized for potentially enabling tyranny, his insights into the necessity of authority in preventing societal collapse remain influential. The work argues that Hobbes’s notion of the Leviathan continues to offer valuable perspectives on the balance between authority and freedom, especially in the context of modern democratic states and global governance. Through critical, analytic, and complementary methods, this research seeks to demonstrate both the enduring significance and the limitations of Hobbes’s Leviathan in addressing the complexities of human society and political order.