Hobbesian Internationalism: Anarchy, Authority and the Fate of Political Philosophy (International Political Theory)

This book sets out to re-examine the foundations of Thomas Hobbes's political philosophy, and to develop a Hobbesian normative theory of international relations. Its central thesis is that two concepts - anarchy and authority - constitute the core of Hobbes's political philosophy whose aim is to justify the state. The Hobbesian state is a type of authority (juridical, public, coercive, and supreme) which emerges under conditions of anarchy ('state of nature'). A state-of-nature argument makes a difference because it justifies authority without appeal to moral obligation. The book shows that the closest analogue of a Hobbesian authority in international relations is Kant's confederation of free states, where states enjoy 'anarchical' (equal) freedom. At present, this crucial form of freedom is being threatened by economic processes of globalisation, and by the resurgence of private authority across state borders. Silviya Lechner was Assistant Professor and is currently a senior visiting research fellow at King's College London, UK. She specialises in social and political philosophy, theory of action, and international political theory. She is the co-author of Practice Theory and International Relations (with M. Frost, 2018) Preface 7 Contents 10 A Note on Sources and Abbreviations 12 Part I Authority 14 1 Introduction: Reading Hobbes as a Theorist of Anarchy and Authority 15 1.1 The Justification of the State 15 1.2 Beyond Realism? Hobbesian Internationalism 20 1.3 The Significance of State-of-Nature Arguments 21 1.4 Method of Interpretation 24 1.5 Structure of the Book 26 Bibliography 29 2 Authority and the Problem of Political Philosophy 32 2.1 Authority and the State: The Contemporary Debate 33 2.2 Hobbes on Authority 39 Authorisation and the Limits of Sovereign Authority 39 The Logical Structure of Covenant 39 The Normative Structure of Covenant 39 2.3 Conclusion 50 Bibliography 51 Part II Anarchy 54 3 The State of Nature in The Elements 55 3.1 The Passions in The Elements 56 3.2 Vainglory 57 3.3 Fear of Death 60 3.4 The Right of Nature 61 3.5 Reason and the Laws of Nature 64 The Normative Status of the Laws of Nature 64 Reason 64 Prudence 64 Uncertainty and Language 64 3.6 Conclusion 71 Bibliography 72 4 The State of Nature in De Cive 74 4.1 De Cive and Hobbes’s System of Philosophy 74 4.2 The Passions in De Cive 75 The Principle of Natural Unsociability 75 Mutual Fear and the State of War 75 4.3 The Laws of Nature and the Right of Nature in De Cive 80 The Right of Nature 80 The Right of Nature in Relation to the Laws of Nature 80 4.4 Obligations in the State of Nature: Laws of Nature or Covenant? 83 The Status of Law 83 The Ground of Hobbesian Obligation 83 The Character of Hobbesian Obligation: Natural Versus Artificial 83 4.5 Conclusion 88 Bibliography 89 5 The State of Nature in Leviathan 92 5.1 Hobbes’s Changing Conceptions of the Passions, Reason, and Language 93 The Passions 93 Language 93 Reason 93 5.2 The Passions Account in Leviathan 98 Vainglory 98 Trust and Mistrust 98 5.3 A Structuralist Reading of Hobbes’s State of Nature 103 The Right of Nature: Freedom and Felicity 103 The Right of Nature and the Laws of Nature 103 5.4 Language and Uncertainty 112 5.5 Conclusion 114 Bibliography 115 Part III Hobbes’s Theory of International Relations 117 6 Hobbes and the International Anarchy 118 6.1 Exiting the State of Nature: The Differentia of the International State of Nature 119 The Domestic State as a Security Provider 119 The International Dimension of the State 119 States Versus Natural Persons 119 The State Versus Alternative Security Alliances 119 6.2 The International State of War: The Realist Model 126 6.3 The International State of Nature: Normativism 132 The Laws of Nature 132 The Law of Nature and the Right of Nature 132 The International State of Nature as a Prototype of the Domestic State of Nature 132 6.4 A Global State Model 137 6.5 Conclusion 140 Bibliography 141 7 Hobbesian Internationalism: Hobbes Meets Kant 145 7.1 Hobbes and Kant on Freedom and Rights in the State of Nature 147 7.2 Kant: The Necessity of Leaving the State of Nature 152 7.3 The State as a Public Coercive Authority 155 7.4 Towards an International Authority 157 7.5 Justifying International Authority: Coercion and Sovereignty 163 7.6 Conclusion 167 Bibliography 169 8 Challenges: Globalisation and the Resurgence of Private Authority 172 8.1 Globalisation and Global Governance 174 Sociological Models of Globalisation 174 Economic Globalisation 174 Government Networks 174 8.2 The Privatisation of Security 180 Public Goods, Private Commodities 180 Private Military and Security Companies in a Global Context 180 8.3 Lockean Images: Private Authority and the State 184 The Lockean State 184 The Hobbesian State 184 8.4 International Authority and the Structure of the Global Realm 188 A Private Global Realm 188 A Global Public Realm: Back to Hobbesian Internationalism? 188 Bibliography 194 Index 198 This Book Explores How Thomas Hobbes Grappled With A Fundamental Question Of Modern Philosophy: Why Should We Have A State? With The Aim To Develop A Hobbesian Normative Theory Of International Relations, The Book’s Central Thesis Is That Two Concepts – Anarchy And Authority – Constitute The Core Of Hobbes's Political Philosophy. The Hobbesian State Is A Type Of Authority (juridical, Public, Coercive, And Supreme) Which Emerges Under Conditions Of Anarchy (the So-called ‘state Of Nature'). A ‘state Of Nature’ Argument Makes A Difference Because It Justifies Authority Without Appeal To Moral Obligation. The Book Shows That The Closest Analogue Of A Hobbesian Authority In International Relations Is Kant's Confederation Of Free States, Where States Enjoy Anarchical (equal) Freedom. At Present, This Crucial Form Of Freedom Is Being Threatened By Economic Processes Of Globalisation And By The Resurgence Of Private Authority Across State Borders. Front Matter ....Pages i-xiv Front Matter ....Pages 1-1 Introduction: Reading Hobbes as a Theorist of Anarchy and Authority (Silviya Lechner)....Pages 3-19 Authority and the Problem of Political Philosophy (Silviya Lechner)....Pages 21-42 Front Matter ....Pages 43-43 The State of Nature in The Elements (Silviya Lechner)....Pages 45-63 The State of Nature in De Cive (Silviya Lechner)....Pages 65-82 The State of Nature in Leviathan (Silviya Lechner)....Pages 83-107 Front Matter ....Pages 109-109 Hobbes and the International Anarchy (Silviya Lechner)....Pages 111-137 Hobbesian Internationalism: Hobbes Meets Kant (Silviya Lechner)....Pages 139-165 Challenges: Globalisation and the Resurgence of Private Authority (Silviya Lechner)....Pages 167-192 Back Matter ....Pages 193-200