WOULD LIFE IN A STATE OF NATURE BE ‘NASTY, BRUTISH, AND SHORT’?
Introduction
Hobbes’s view on the state of nature is that it has long term conditions for human beings to flourish. Co-operation is needed in a state of nature to ensure human beings existing there are naturally good. Also, the state of nature requires rules to govern the social and political structures so that defects can be avoided in a state of nature. Thomas Hobbes affirmed that the state of nature denotes the natural conditions that every humankind aspires to enjoy. As people search for the purest natural conditions in a state of nature, they encounter problems that influence them to describe the state of nature as nasty, brutish and short. Therefore, the state of nature is challenged by issues of morality and severe conflict, which makes it nasty, short and brutish as explained below.
Life in a State of Nature
State of nature is nasty because survival in it is uncertain, and people never depend on industries or shipped commodities. Violent deaths in a state of nature make it nasty, brutish and short (Wolff, 1972, p.8). Evils of the civil war occurred in a setting similar to a state of nature. Hobbes in Leviathan confirmed people suffered during the civil war and continue to suffer in a state of nature due to political, cultural and economic differences. In his views, Hobbes emphasized a need for a strong government that will make a state of nature free of war and other social evils. Robbery is an issue making the state of nature nasty and hostile to stay.
The influence of inherent morality challenges the survival of people in a state of nature. Sometimes mankind devolves into war due to problems faced in a nature of state. Politicians focus on self-preservation to avoid severe conflict in a state of nature. The behavior of a civilized man differs from the activities of ordinary people in a state of nature, and disagreement in their interaction makes the state nasty. Hobbes suggested that in a state of nature, extreme scarcity results from the interaction of mankind in natural conditions. Conditions turn nasty after anarchists fail to control social pressure, gossip and other anti-social behaviors (Wolff, 1972, p.31). Political power is valued in a state of nature, for it makes members of the society less utopian. Social rules enforced to guide people in a state of nature change conditions to be nasty if they discriminate against some people. Hobbes described the role of anarchists in influencing group political structures in a state of nature.
Hobbes elaborated that lack of rational co-operation in a state of nature affects the rate of competition and exploitation of resources, which makes conditions brutish. Negative elements develop as society develops. Hobbes claimed that the transformation of societies makes people develop pride and envy. Also, equality is destructed and results in robbery among the disadvantaged groups of the society. Increased social evils make a state of nature brutish (Wolff, 1972, p.29). Brutish deprives members of a state an opportunity to enjoy the finest conditions of humans. War, homelessness, and inequality cause suffering in a state of nature.
According to Hobbes, mankind works to satisfy the desires of safety and equality. Practices like hunting and gathering are common to uncivilized man in a state of nature. Savage man focuses on desires for food while civilized men in a state of nature have a quest for political power and fame. The different desires of human beings in a state of nature cause conflict and brutish. Every man believes he has the right to guard his survival (Wolff, 1972, p.13). Human morality determines whether life in a state of nature will be short. Hobbes found mankind should endeavor peace and be contented with liberty. Lack of peace and liberty affects the justice and moral conduct of men resulting in a short life. The increased urge for people to get food deprives them to understand the state of nature is short. Hobbes provided fundamental law to guide human beings for survival in a state of nature. Mankind ought to recognize moral duty and value life in a state of nature because it is short. Therefore, Hobbes focused on things men rely on for survival to describe the life of human beings in a state of nature.
Natural condition surrounding humankind changes life to be nasty, brutish and short. In a state of nature, men are impacted by political order to behave in a particular manner. Hobbes questioned human nature and found humans interact in a social setting for survival despite the natural conditions (Hoekstra., 2007, p.109). The natural condition helps men achieve their desires. Hobbes claimed that by nature, mankind has equal capabilities but the social structures in a state of nature influence class differences. Hostile competition for human beings demanding scarce goods makes a state of nature look nasty. Also, people engage in conflict as they fight for a reputation in politics, which makes their state brutish. The condition of war and continued fear influences the life of a natural man to be short (Hoekstra., 2007, p.110). Therefore, Hobbes requested thorough writing on the need to fight theft and other hostile attacks for the protection of human life.
Hobbes claimed that a sovereign state should protect the lives of citizens. The state of nature remains intolerable due to punishment bestowed to men by politicians. The Law of nature shapes the liberty of men and acts as a stimulus for political virtues and religious beliefs (Ryan, 1996, p.210). Struggles that men undergo in search of freedom in a state of nature make their life short. Enforced rules in a state determine the behavior of men and should be considered when administering omnicompetent authority. Changes to the law are permitted in a state of the nation to address the best survival tactics of men. In his political philosophy, Hobbes focused on the role of politics in shaping the lives of human beings in a society. He argued that politics spread practical freedom that enlightens on the better survival of mankind.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Hobbes described the state of nature as all natural conditions impacting the survival of man. Social issues like robbery and conflicts affect life in a state of nature to make it nasty. Disagreements among men make them lose focus in life and experience brutish conditions in a state of nature. Wars like the American civil war, which resulted in massive deaths, causes suffering and make life short among residents of a state of nature. Hobbes in his political philosophy, claimed an effective political system is needed to allow better survival of people. In a state of nature, men possess similar capabilities. However, the concept of civilization caused a divide in a state of nature, separating men who engage in hunting and gathering from those interested in political reputation.
Bibliography
Hoekstra, K., 2007. Hobbes on the natural condition of mankind, pp.109-127.
Ryan, A., 1996. Hobbes’s political philosophy. The Cambridge Companion to Hobbes, pp.208-245.
Wolff, L., 1972. The State of Nature. NYU Press, pp.1-33.