Livin’ Leviathan Loca!

This quarter I’ve declared political science as my corollary, which is practically a minor(except it is required), so I’m taking political theory 270. This class has some interesting reads (which I will be commenting on throughout the quarter), some I’ve already read, most I haven’t. The readings include a spectrum of political theorists such as John Stuart Mill, Rousseau, Emma Goldman, John Locke, and of course Carl Marx. We seem to be moving chronologically through these works. Our first read is Thomas Hobbes “Leviathan” which is new to me. To me this concept is really strange. I’ve read many political books and I’ve argued both for and against many political ideas, but I don’t think I’ve ever read up on such a theory that defends absolute power. Even Chinese legalism had a hierarchy. Hobbes seems to be certain that the only way to maintain a state is to concentrate power to one individual. Wow! Where do I get in line to complain? Unlike many of my colleagues I am not in favor of the abolition of our state or any state for that matter, but I may make an exception for the state described in the Leviathan. In my opinion the reason our Constitution is the oldest in the world that is still in use is because it denies absolute power, but as I thought about it I realized that I was projecting my own personal America into this juxtaposition. When you look at the principals behind the Leviathan in comparison to our own government there are much more parallels than contrasts. Like the rights of the sovereign: to halt protest, to decide what doctrine shall be taught, to dictate property rights, and defend the country without question of actions taken or fear of punishment by the subjects. The few liberties that are given to subjects in the Leviathan also mirror the American justice system. So we’re living it baby! This sounds just like the Bush-Obama administration. Livin’ Leviathan Loca!