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Having willed Leviathan (their government) into being, what can subjects expect from their creation?

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Final answer:

Subjects who will a government, or Leviathan, into being as per Thomas Hobbes's ideas, expect it to maintain political order, social stability, provide security, and protect them from the anarchy inherent in the state of nature.

Step-by-step explanation:

When subjects will Leviathan, or government, into being, they can expect that their creation will ensure political order and social stability, as depicted in Thomas Hobbes's Leviathan. According to Hobbes, in the state of nature, people are driven by self-interest, leading to conflict and perpetual war. By forming a social contract, they establish a sovereign power to protect themselves from anarchy and chaos. This government has absolute power and is tasked with maintaining order by exercising authority over its citizens, so long as it follows the terms of the social contract.

Expectations from Leviathan

Security: The sovereign will provide protection from the constant threat of conflict that exists in a state of nature.

  • Order: Absolute power vested in the sovereign serves to maintain peace and prevent societal collapse into anarchy.
  • Stability: A strong government should prevent civil unrest and provide a framework for resolving disputes.

Hobbes's theory emphasized that a strong central authority was necessary to mitigate the natural tendencies towards conflict and self-destruction that arise in the absence of political structures.

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