Key Philosophical & Political Ideas – Thomas Hobbes &
Machiavelli’s The Prince
Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679) – Leviathan (1651)
Context: Writing during the English Civil War, Hobbes focused on the need for strong political
authority to avoid chaos.
Core Ideas:
• State of Nature: Without political authority, human life is “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish,
and short.”
• Human Nature: People are driven by self-interest, fear of death, and desire for power;
naturally distrustful and competitive.
• Social Contract: Individuals consent to give up certain freedoms to a sovereign authority
in exchange for security and order.
• Absolute Sovereignty: The ruler (or governing body) must hold centralized, undivided
power to enforce laws and maintain peace.
• Law & Morality: Morality is not inherent; justice exists only through laws created by
the sovereign.
• Political Stability: The priority of government is preventing civil war and disorder—
personal liberties are secondary to stability.
Niccolò Machiavelli (1469–1527) – The Prince (1532)
Context: Writing in politically fragmented Renaissance Italy, Machiavelli addressed how rulers
can acquire and maintain power.
Core Ideas:
• Political Realism: Politics should be judged by effectiveness, not morality; rulers must
focus on outcomes over ideals.
Machiavelli’s The Prince
Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679) – Leviathan (1651)
Context: Writing during the English Civil War, Hobbes focused on the need for strong political
authority to avoid chaos.
Core Ideas:
• State of Nature: Without political authority, human life is “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish,
and short.”
• Human Nature: People are driven by self-interest, fear of death, and desire for power;
naturally distrustful and competitive.
• Social Contract: Individuals consent to give up certain freedoms to a sovereign authority
in exchange for security and order.
• Absolute Sovereignty: The ruler (or governing body) must hold centralized, undivided
power to enforce laws and maintain peace.
• Law & Morality: Morality is not inherent; justice exists only through laws created by
the sovereign.
• Political Stability: The priority of government is preventing civil war and disorder—
personal liberties are secondary to stability.
Niccolò Machiavelli (1469–1527) – The Prince (1532)
Context: Writing in politically fragmented Renaissance Italy, Machiavelli addressed how rulers
can acquire and maintain power.
Core Ideas:
• Political Realism: Politics should be judged by effectiveness, not morality; rulers must
focus on outcomes over ideals.
