Preserving Order in Luther and Hobbes Essay - 2425 Words

Preserving Order in Luther and Hobbes Both Martin Luther and Thomas Hobbes believe in preserving order. Their writings paint pictures of strong sovereigns and obedient subjects. Yet while both men see it as wrong to overthrow a sovereign, they recognize that sovereigns are overthrown and that the sovereigns must do what they can to prevent this. On top of that both men see different causes for their sovereigns’ creation, set different ends for their sovereigns, and would limit the actions of the sovereigns to those specific ends. Hobbes, whose sovereign is created as an alternative to the state of nature, places the possibility of the state collapsing as the limits of that sovereign’s power. Luther, whose rulers are appointed by God,†¦show more content†¦He writes that there are two different kinds of people. One kind of person is the true Christian, who does not need rulers but would willingly do more than is asked by any ruler. The other kind of person is someone who, without a strong ruler, woul d cause disorder. The rulers keep these people in line. God appoints them and, like the peasants, they will be called in the end to justify to God what they have done. What limits do the two men place upon their rulers? The most obvious limits are the conditions for which the sovereign may be overthrown. Neither Hobbes nor Luther are in favor of a sovereign being overthrown and both talk against the idea of men judging their rulers. However, at the same time they do caution their rulers to acknowledge the limits that the risk of being overthrown imposes on them. Both men say that is wrong for the people to judge their rulers. Hobbes’ disapproval comes from his understanding of the nature of the relationship between sovereign and subjects. For him it would be wrong because the sovereign, having been given the assignment to keep peace, must be given also the means. Judging the sovereign would come to close too denying the sovereign the means to do his job and bringing the commonwealth back towards the state of nature. Luther does not use the same method of definition and argument and nor does he view the relationship between sovereign and subjects as a voluntary contract. HisShow MoreRelatedMartin Luther, Thomas Hobbes And John Locke2526 Words   |  11 Pagesborn equal before the law. This declaration made by the powerful nations and signed by all nations strong and weak that belong to the United Nations reflects the thoughts of many earlier philosophers to include the 16th 17th Century Martin Luther, Thomas Hobbes, and John Locke. However, each philosopher -based on their times and experiences gave a different value to how men use their freedom and equality in presence of the other in a society, and in relation to political authority. As determinantRead MoreThomas Hobbes And The Natural Condition Of Mankind Essay2171 Words   |  9 Pagescontract. Thomas Hobbes, James Madison, and Plato all believed that having an absolute sovereign is what will make a society the most successful. This pape r seeks to point out the distinct visons of absolute sovereignty that Hobbes, Madison, and Plato articulated by unpacking the central premises of each argument, pitting them against each other through comparing and contrasting. Thomas Hobbes View In the Leviathan, Hobbes tries to prove why the Leviathan is necessary for preserving peace andRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 Pagesbody of knowledge. What does it study? It studies three determinants of behavior in organizations: individuals, groups, and structure. In addition, OB applies the knowledge gained about individuals, groups, and the effect of structure on behavior in order to make organizations work more effectively. To sum up our definition, OB is the study of what people do in an organization and how their behavior affects the organization’s performance. And because OB is concerned specifically with employment-related