Hobbes On The Citizen

The first book-length study in English of Thomas Hobbes's On the Citizen, containing twelve original essays by leading Hobbes scholars.

New translation of the first major work of the greatest English political philosopher.

De Cive (On the Citizen) is the first full exposition of the political thought of Thomas Hobbes, the greatest English political philosopher of all time. Professors Tuck and Silverthorne have undertaken the first complete translation since 1651, a rendition long thought (in error) to be at least sanctioned by Hobbes himself. On the Citizen is written in a clear, straightforward, expository style, offering students a more digestible account of Hobbes' political thought than even Leviathan itself. This new translation is itself a very significant scholarly event.

Thomas Hobbes (5 April 1588 - 4 December 1679), was an English philosopher, best known today for his work on political philosophy. Although Hobbes was a strong believer in the right of sovereigns to rule absolutely, Hobbes developed the political philosophy that laid the foundation for theories like social contract theory that have formed the backbone of Western democracy. Hobbes also wrote about history, mathematics, physics, ethics and philosophy, writing at length about human nature and the strength of self-interest, often referred to as materialism. Among Hobbes' work, his most famous and important is Leviathan, titled after the Biblical character. Hobbes' Leviathan expounds at length upon the structure of society and legitimate government, becoming one of the most influential political philosophies in the West's history. Leviathan weds social contract theory to an absolute sovereign, calling upon legitimate government to protect the natural rights of its people. Written during the English Civil War, Hobbes argues a strong centralized government is necessary to avoid war and upheaval.

Written during a moment in English history when the political and social structures were in flux and open to interpretation, Leviathan played an essential role in the development of the modern world.