Discussion Topic
Comparison of Hobbes's views on human nature with behavior under the feudal manorial system
Summary:
Hobbes's views on human nature, which emphasize self-interest and a tendency towards conflict, contrast with the behavior expected under the feudal manorial system. In feudal society, individuals were bound by mutual obligations and duties, promoting cooperation and loyalty within a rigid social hierarchy, whereas Hobbes believed that without a strong central authority, humans would naturally descend into a state of war and chaos.
What fundamental claims about human nature did Hobbes make, and how do these compare to behaviour under the feudal manorial system?
The fundamental claim about human nature that Hobbes made was that human nature is fractious and lawless--which actually begs the question of the habitual tendency among human societies to institute law and order--and that humans can only be peaceful under absolute rule and authority. This is the principal illustrated by Golding in Lord of the Flies.
How does Hobbes's view compare to human behaviour under feudalism?
It is possible to argue that the feudal system proves Hobbes's view of human nature because people in that system tended to act in accordance with their selfish interests. In the feudal system (as opposed to in an absolute monarchy) the various important lords had the ability to act in their own interests in ways that may well have been harmful to the state as a whole. This would tend to support Hobbes's idea that an absolute ruler was needed in order to check the selfish impulses of the people.
The history of feudal...
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Europe is littered with examples of people acting in very selfish ways. Members of the nobility were constantly fighting to advance their political interests. They would often do this even if it meant that their country as a whole would be harmed. As an example of this, we have events like the one in which Eleanor of Aquitaine led a revolt against her own husband, King Henry II of England. This sort of behavior by people in feudal times seems to confirm Hobbes's views of human nature.