Leviathan (Summarized Edition)

A dense, architectonic treatise, Leviathan offers an anatomy of the commonwealth, opening with an account of human psychology—endeavors and aversions, power, passions—within a mechanistic philosophy; from this Hobbes derives the state of nature as war of every man against every man and the rational laws of nature culminating in the social contract and submission to an undivided sovereign, by institution or acquisition. Combining geometrical definitions with polemical eloquence and scriptural exegesis, Leviathan (1651) emerges from the intellectual ferment of the Scientific Revolution and the confessional strife of the English Civil War. Hobbes (1588–1679), educated at Oxford and long associated with the Cavendish household, absorbed the new mechanics via Galileo and corresponded amid the Parisian philosophical milieu. Witness to civil tumult and exile, he feared the corrosions of sectarian zeal and scholastic obscurity; these experiences, alongside his materialist psychology, drove his bid to secure peace through absolute sovereignty. This work rewards readers in political theory, law, history, and theology. Whether one seeks foundations for state authority, a sharp account of liberty as non-impediment, or a cautionary meditation on disorder, Leviathan remains indispensable—provocative, lucid, and unsettling in its insistence that security precedes all other goods.
Quickie Classics summarizes timeless works with precision, preserving the authors voice and keeping the prose clear, fast, and readable—distilled, never diluted. Enriched Edition extras: Introduction · Synopsis · Historical Context · Author Biography · Brief Analysis · 4 Reflection Q&As · Editorial Footnotes.