Hobbes on Resistance Defying the Leviathan [Paperback]

An interpretation of Hobbes's philosophy that focuses on political disobedience and demonstrates the existence of a Hobbesian theory of resistance.This book defends an interpretation of Hobbes's political philosophy that focuses on his justification for political disobedience and demonstrates the existence of a Hobbesian theory of resistance. It will appeal to all who are interested in the nature and limits of political authority and the modern origins of these issues.This book defends an interpretation of Hobbes's political philosophy that focuses on his justification for political disobedience and demonstrates the existence of a Hobbesian theory of resistance. It will appeal to all who are interested in the nature and limits of political authority and the modern origins of these issues.Hobbes's political theory has traditionally been taken to be an endorsement of state power and a prescription for unconditional obedience to the sovereign's will. In this book, Susanne Sreedhar develops a novel interpretation of Hobbes's theory of political obligation and explores important cases where Hobbes claims that subjects have a right to disobey and resist state power, even when their lives are not directly threatened. Drawing attention to this broader set of rights, her comprehensive analysis of Hobbes's account of political disobedience reveals a unified and coherent theory of resistance that has previously gone unnoticed and undefended. Her book will appeal to all who are interested in the nature and limits of political authority, the right of self-defense, the right of revolution, and the modern origins of these issues.Acknowledgements; Introduction; 1. Hobbes's right of self-defense; 2. The true liberties of subjects; 3. Limited obedience to an unlimited sovereign; 4. Is Leviathan a 'Rebel's Catechism'?; Conclusion; Bibliography; Index.'This is an excellent book on centrally important - but often neglected - aspects of Hobbes' political and moral theories. It is powerful”