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  • Essay / Thomas Hobbes' Ideas on Absolute Monarchy in Leviathan

    Table of ContentsIntroductionGovernment StructureThe Political Machine and the MonsterThe Point of ViewThe Political LandscapeConclusionIntroductionIn 1651, the philosopher Thomas Hobbes wrote the book Leviathan. In the book, Hobbes uses a monster from the Bible, Leviathan, to describe government. Hobbes then gives his outline of the political monster and political machine within the government and states that the best form of government is an absolute monarchy. Which, compared to the United States government, seems very different. Using the metaphor of a monster from the work of Hobbes or the term political machine accurately describes central government as it describes what the American political landscape looked like in the past and how it continues to appear today. Viewing central government as a monster benefits politicians, their lobbyists, and the citizens who support their causes. An example of this can be found in the 1939 film Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. On the contrary, the political machine can present disadvantages to the government, its officials and ignorant and/or innocent citizens; because it can lead to a series of negative outcomes for people, especially those whose views or opinions contradict those of the machine. The political machine will affect the United States in the future as it has in the past and today. Due to partisanship and its relevance in the American political landscape, the past and future effects of the machine will continue to prove both beneficial and negative on the country and people. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Government Structure The United States government is divided into three branches; the executive, legislative and judicial powers. Within each of the three branches are various organizations, groups and committees with diverse tasks. In the United States government, the three branches create a system of checks and balances and help distribute power throughout the government system. During the American Revolution, the Founding Fathers wanted a government that was strong, fair, and protected the individual freedoms of the people. However, Hobbes believed in the idea of ​​contractarianism, which is the idea that people are primarily interested in their own interests; but rational people are willing to act morally and obey government authority. During the English Revolution, Thomas Hobbes argued that the best form of government was an absolute monarchy. Hobbes proposed the concept that the absolute monarch would maintain order and provide services essential to the functioning of an effective form of government. than providing a well-functioning government. However, in the eyes of their supporters and the innocent or ignorant, the government may think that the government is working well because it benefits them. For example, in the 1780s, the Tammany Hall political machine primarily gained its popularity and loyal voters through its willingness and efforts to help poor and immigrant citizens. These immigrant and poor citizens benefited from the machine and therefore believed that the political machine provided services and kept the government running smoothly. The machine or the monster therefore exists because people allow it. Thomas Hobbes states in his introduction to Leviathan that: "For by art is created that great Leviathan called the Commonwealth, or State, which is but an artificial man..." Found on the cover of Leviathan, it depicts a monarchy; or Leviathan holding a sword and a bishop's crozier and wearing a crown. The sword represents military powers, the bishop's crosier represents religious power, and finally the crown represents the monarch himself. The body of Leviathan is made up of the people of the state, making the head of the monarch the true head of the state. The cover of Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes symbolizes how Leviathan is directly connected to and supported by the people. The monster featured on the cover of the book is made up of different parts. As Hobbes describes him as an artificial man which he uses as a metaphor to further his idea of ​​what government looks like. Thomas Hobbes goes on to say that this monster is necessary because it protects men from the law of nature. Hobbes goes on to state that: "For the laws of nature, which consist in fairness, justice, gratitude, and other moral virtues which depend upon these, upon mere nature, are not laws of property, but qualities which dispose men to peace and obedience. » The concepts of political machine and monster accurately describe the central government of the United States. The machine accurately describes central government because, like Leviathan, within the machine the elements of government are all connected to each other. As seen in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, the head of the machine is an individual or organization that operates the machine. Along with the head, the mouth represents the media seeking to promote the leader's agenda. The body is linked to the head and is composed of ignorant or innocent citizens; whose primary goal is to keep the head in its position. The hands symbolize the senators and other officials who do the work for the machine rulers. Finally, the feet symbolize the innocent victims who are under the machine; and get trampled.The ViewViewing the government as a monster or political machine is beneficial because one can observe how a monster relates to the federal government today. The monster is directly linked to a monarchy, because people fear the monster as they fear the monarchy; and the monster reigns alone. However, there are downsides to viewing the federal government as a monster because it goes against what the machine wants the person to do and say. The machine wants the person it puts in power to believe in the usefulness of the machine, regardless of what the person actually feels or says, which causes political partisanship. Political partisanship causes people to have blind loyalty to a particular cause or party. This view directly relates to the current political landscape, as people believe that the President of the United States can make all decisions and is treated as the sole ruler. Which then allows us to consider the president as a monarchy. When the president is given the image of a monarchy, it allows the people to create a Leviathan or a new monster. Viewing the federal government as a political machine can affect the political future of the United States. Viewing the federal government as a political machine has both advantages and disadvantages. An example of this can be found in the film Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. In the film, politicians are influenced by machine bosses and other outside sources. Throughout the film, those who supported and listened to what the machine was telling them were able to remain in office for extended periods of time. This can be seen in politics today by politicians who stay in office for long periods of time and seem to go unnoticed. This turns out to be an advantage because it rewards those who support the.