Hobbes: Leviathan: Revised student edition (Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought)

Thomas Hobbes's Leviathan is arguably the greatest piece of political philosophy written in the English language. Written in a time of great political turmoil (Hobbes's life spanned the reign of Charles I, the Civil Wars, the Commonwealth and the Protectorate, and the Restoration), Leviathan is an argument for obedience to authority grounded in an analysis of human nature. For this revised edition Professor Tuck has provided a much-amplified and expanded introduction, which will provide students unfamiliar with Hobbes with a cogent and accessible introduction to this most challenging of texts. Other vital aids to study include an extensive guide to further reading, a note on textual matters, a chronology of important events and brief biographies of important persons mentioned in Hobbes's text. Thomas Hobbes' Leviathan, from 1651, is one of the first and most influential arguments towards social contract. Written in the midst of the English Civil War, it concerns the structure of government and society and argues for strong central governance and the rule of an absolute sovereign as the way to avoid civil war and chaos. "Leviathan" is an argument for obedience to authority grounded in an analysis of human nature. This revised edition of the work includes an amplified and expanded introduction, an extensive guide to further reading, a note on textual matters, and a chronology of important events