Leviathan · Chapter
XIII: Of the Natural Condition of Mankind as Concerning Their Felicity and Misery explained
Hobbes describes the natural condition of mankind as a state of war of every man against every man, arising from equality of ability, diffidence, and glory.
What happens
Hobbes describes the natural condition of mankind as a state of war of every man against every man, arising from equality of ability, diffidence, and glory. In this state, there is no justice, property, or society, and life is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short. The passions that incline men to peace are fear of death, desire for commodious living, and hope for industry, while reason suggests the laws of nature as articles of peace.
Themes in this chapter
State of Nature and Social Contract
Hobbes defines the natural condition of mankind as a war of all against all, where life is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short, and outlines the necessity of a common power to establish peace.
Human Nature and Passions
The chapter identifies three principal causes of quarrel in human nature: competition, diffidence, and glory, and discusses how passions like fear of death incline men toward peace.
Justice and Law
Hobbes argues that in the state of nature, notions of right and wrong, justice and injustice have no place, as they are qualities that relate to men in society, not in solitude.
Key passages
“In such condition there is no place for industry, because the fruit thereof is uncertain, and consequently no culture of the earth; no navigation, nor use of the commodities that may be imported by sea; no commodious building; no instruments of moving and removing such things as require much force; no knowledge of the face of the earth; no account of time; no arts; no letters; no society; and, which is worst of all, continual fear and danger of violent death; and the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”
In the state of war, there is no room for productive work, agriculture, trade, construction, technology, learning, or community; instead, there is constant fear of violent death, and human existence is isolated, impoverished, vile, animalistic, and brief.
This is Hobbes's famous description of life in the state of nature.
“Hereby it is manifest, that during the time men live without a common power to keep them all in awe, they are in that condition which is called war; and such a war, as is of every man, against every man.”
It is clear that as long as people live without a shared authority to restrain them, they exist in a state of war, where each individual is pitted against every other.
Hobbes defines the state of nature as a war of all against all.