Thomas Hobbes - Book Report/Review Example

Thus, according to Hobbes, the commonwealth guarantees safety and protection of its citizens, and thereby a more contented life for them. (Hobbes, 223) It also helps them in getting themselves out from that miserable condition of war and offers protection from the enemies. (223) Hobbes also maintains that the commonwealth is instituted when the people authorize and give up their right of governing themselves to one man or assembly of men on condition that the sovereign or the body of rulers will give up his or their right to the people and authorize all his actions in like manner. (227) In the book, Hobbes also offers an important definition of the commonwealth which is a person who is authorized by a great multitude, by mutual covenants one with another, so that he may use all his strength and means of the peace and common defense of the people. (228) Hobbes also deals with the twelve principal rights of the sovereign in his book and he overtly rejects the idea of Separation of Powers.

In a particular chapter of the book, under the title, Of Liberty of Subjects, deals with the various types of liberty ensured by the commonwealth. In short, the Thomas Hobbes deals with some of the essential aspects of a commonwealth in the second part of his celebrated book Leviathan.