# Of Systems Subject, Political, and Private explained — Leviathan

> Chapter companion for Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes.

## What happens

Hobbes categorizes systems as regular or irregular, and subordinate systems as political (authorized by the sovereign) or private. He discusses the limits of power in bodies politic, the nature of provinces and colonies, the lawfulness of leagues and factions, and the conditions under which assemblies or concourses of people are lawful or unlawful.

## Themes in this chapter

### Sovereignty and Absolute Power

Hobbes emphasizes that the sovereign is the absolute representative of all subjects, and any subordinate body politic's power is limited by the sovereign's authority.

### Liberty and Obligation

Discusses the liberty of subjects in relation to sovereign commands, and the obligation of members in bodies politic to acts of their representative.

### Justice and Law

Examines the lawfulness of systems, factions, and concourses, and the role of law in determining the limits of representative power.

## Character check-ins

### St. Paul

Mentioned in the context of the unlawful tumult at Ephesus, where Demetrius and others brought Paul's companions before the magistrate.

## Key lines

> But in a sovereign assembly, that liberty is taken away, both because he that protesteth there denies their sovereignty; and also because whatsoever is commanded by the sovereign power, is as to the subject, though not so always in the sight of God, justified by the command: for of such command every subject is the author.

In a sovereign assembly, a dissenting member loses the liberty to protest because doing so challenges the sovereign's authority; moreover, any command from the sovereign is considered justified for the subject (though not necessarily in God's eyes) because the subject is the author of that command.

_Hobbes argues that subjects are authors of sovereign commands, thus they cannot protest without denying sovereignty._

> For though every man, where he can be present by nature, desires to participate of government; yet where they cannot be present, they are by nature also inclined to commit the government of their common interest rather to a monarchical than a popular form of government.

Although people naturally want to participate in government when they can be present, when they cannot be present they tend to prefer entrusting their common interests to a single ruler rather than to an assembly.

_Hobbes observes a natural preference for monarchy over popular government in absentia._

> And as factions for kindred, so also factions for government of religion, as of Papists, Protestants, etc., or of state, as patricians and plebeians of old time in Rome, and of aristocraticals and democraticals of old time in Greece, are unjust, as being contrary to the peace and safety of the people, and a taking of the sword out of the hand of the sovereign.

Factions based on kinship, religion (like Papists and Protestants), or political divisions (like patricians vs. plebeians in Rome or aristocrats vs. democrats in Greece) are unjust because they threaten peace and safety and usurp the sovereign's authority.

_Hobbes condemns all factions as undermining sovereign power and public peace._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xxii-of-systems-subject-political-and-private
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/leviathan_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/leviathan_se/chapters