Leviathan

The sovereign exists for the safety of the subjects of the common-wealth, and the sovereign is obligated by the Laws of Nature to serve the common-wealth to the absolute best of their ability. This care is not given on an individual level, but in general, through example and the execution of sound laws. If a sovereign’s rights are taken away, the common-wealth dissolves; thus, it is the duty of the office of the sovereign to ensure and maintain these rights. 

Subjects of a common-wealth should be taught not to envy the government of neighboring nations. What flourishes in one kind of common-wealth, for example, an aristocracy, is not what is best for a monarchy or a democracy. Furthermore, subjects should also be taught not to envy their fellow subjects, so they will not give honor to another that is reserved only for the sovereign. Subjects must also be taught not to dispute the sovereign power, and there should be days set aside, as there is with the Sabbath, to spend time learning one’s duty to the common-wealth and sovereign power.

It is necessary for the safety of the people of a common-wealth that justice is administered by the sovereign equally to all subjects. Breaking a law is always a crime against the common-wealth, and at times, a crime can also be against an individual subject. When a crime is done onto the common-wealth, it can be pardoned without worry of equity; however, when a crime is committed onto a single subject, that crime cannot be pardoned without the permission of the injured party.

Inequality between people of a common-wealth comes from acts of the sovereign, which is why equal taxes are important for equality of subjects. If a subject is not able to support themselves by their own labor, they should be provided for by the common-wealth and not left to rely on the charity of others. An able-bodied subject, however, is not permitted to be idle and must work toward the common good of the common-wealth. 

A good sovereign makes good laws, but a good law is more than a just law, since no law can ever be unjust. A law is good if it is warranted and in the best interest of the common-wealth. The purpose of laws is not to keep people from making voluntary actions but to keep them from hurting themselves or others through poor decisions and sudden desires. An articulate and eloquent sovereign is most helpful in the declaration of laws and legislation, and in punishment and the rewarding of subjects as well. 

It is also the sovereign’s duty to appoint good counselors for the betterment of the common-wealth and to seek their counsel when necessary. Good council does not come from lot or birth, and good council does not come only from the rich. There must be a method to the study of politics, as there is in the study of geometry, so the education that future counselors have is sound and grounded in reason. Just as it is best to receive counsel by a single counselor rather than an assembly, it is likewise best for a counselor to give counsel apart from an assembly.

The sovereign must also appoint a commander of the Army, and if said commander is not popular among subjects, the commander cannot be loved or feared as they should to be an effective leader. But a commander’s popularity can be dangerous to the sovereign if the sovereign is not also popular, Hobbes warns. The sovereign’s popularity is of no threat to a popular commander, whose soldiers are not likely to side against the sovereign no matter how much they love a commander.