Hobbes: of Rights, Rulers and Representation

"The multitude so united in one person, is called a COMMONWEALTH, in Latin CIVITAS. This is the generation of that great LEVIATHAN, or rather (to speak more reverently) of that Mortal God, to which we owe under the Immortal God, our peace and defence. For by this authority, given him by every particular man in the commonwealth, he hath the use of so much power and strength conferred on him, that by the terror thereof, he is enabled to conform the wills of them all, to peace and home, and mutual aid against their enemies abroad." (p114)

Thomas Hobbes. Leviathan. J.C.A. Gaskin (ed. & introduction). Oxford World's Classics. Oxford University Press. 2008. Image: R. Delgado. http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/w/worshipping.asp

In the natural condition peace is an impossibility. Though fully able to conceive of the conditions and rules for keeping the peace, it is yet irrational for people to act according to those rules because it makes no sense to behave yourself if peace cannot be guaranteed. Only a collective sacrifice will do. However, what crucial element is lacking in the natural condition, making it impossible to enforce this collective sacrifice continually, is authority. The solution therefore, is to create authority by denying yourself some of your natural rights, and transferring them to someone else. This is the creation of the great Leviathan, that person to whom we surrender some of our rights, in return for peace.

The rights that people ought to surrender are those they can do without, for example, the natural right to enslave another person, or the natural right to take what doesn't belong to you. It is rational to forego these liberties in exchange for such a valuable commodity as peace: a fair deal. But technically, people could also give up the natural right to practice whatever religion they want, or the natural right to settle their own arguments -all without endangering the preservation of their lives, which is Hobbes' sole concern. In fact, according to Hobbes, they should. Only the complete and utter surrender of all our transferable rights will make the Leviathan, and the commonwealth strong enough to oppose any exterior threat. When Leviathans have failed in the past, it was because they lacked the power that was owed to them by their subjects, the undivided power over legal, military, religious and constitutional matters. 

The sacrifice of the people is inexorably linked to the power of the Leviathan. This realization often comes too late but it is an important one. Hobbes solution is not flexible, nor is is applicable in degrees, it requires all, or delivers nothing.