A reconsideration of Hobbes for post 9/11 America

For the good of the Soveraign and People, cannot be separated. It is a weak Soveraign, that has weak Subjects; and a weak People, whose Soveraign wanteth Power to rule them at his will. Unnecessary Lawes are not good Lawes; but trapps for Mony: which where the right of Soveraign Power is acknowledged, are superfluous; and where it is not acknowledged, unsufficient to defend the People. - Hobbes, Leviathan, Ch. XXX, pg.269.;Thomas Hobbes's era and ours are quite different, but upon closer review the strife that seemingly characterizes the 21st century appears similar to conflicts during the 16th and 17th centuries in Europe and more specifically England. Hobbes argued that this similarity resides within human nature and the overarching ruler of passions---fear. This philosophy is designed to avoid the worst of possible political situations: anarchy. Hobbes's influence has waxed and waned in Western thought and once again due to the current conflict it has emerged. A resurrecting of the scholarly work on Hobbes's Leviathan is needed to understand the role of security and the means to attain that end. It is now necessary to clear the philosophical deadwood that has accumulated in order to understand Hobbes's thought. This work will illuminate what Hobbes would do under our circumstances and see whether modern American society can accommodate his philosophy without losing the identity of America. If not squaring up to the American tradition, at the very least, it is worth attempting in order to fix the mounting philosophical quagmire. If compatible with the American tradition, Hobbes's philosophy should be studied with the intent of using it to enhance our security. As a result, points of contention in the current conflict can be nullified and, thus, make our prospects for success likelier and, most importantly, understandable.