It is true that certain living creatures,as bees and ants,live sociably one with another (which are therefore by Aristotle numbered amongst political creatures),and yet have no other direction than their particular judgements and appetites;nor speech,whereby one of them can signify to another what he thinks expedient for the common benefit:and therefore some man may perhaps desire to know why mankind cannot do the same.To which I answer,First,that men are continually in competition for honour and dignity,which these creatures are not;and consequently amongst men there ariseth on that ground,envy,and hatred,and finally war;but amongst these not so.
Secondly,that amongst these creatures the common good differeth not from the private;and being by nature inclined to their private,they procure thereby the common benefit.But man,whose joy consisteth in comparing himself with other men,can relish nothing but what is eminent.
Thirdly,that these creatures,having not,as man,the use of reason,do not see,nor think they see,any fault in the administration of their common business:whereas amongst men there are very many that think themselves wiser and abler to govern the public better than the rest,and these strive to reform and innovate,one this way,another that way;and thereby bring it into distraction and civil war.
Fourthly,that these creatures,though they have some use of voice in making known to one another their desires and other affections,yet they want that art of words by which some men can represent to others that which is good in the likeness of evil;and evil,in the likeness of good;and augment or diminish the apparent greatness of good and evil,discontenting men and troubling their peace at their pleasure.
Fifthly,irrational creatures cannot distinguish between injury and damage;and therefore as long as they be at ease,they are not offended with their fellows:whereas man is then most troublesome when he is most at ease;for then it is that he loves to show his wisdom,and control the actions of them that govern the Commonwealth.
Lastly,the agreement of these creatures is natural;that of men is by covenant only,which is artificial:and therefore it is no wonder if there be somewhat else required,besides covenant,to make their agreement constant and lasting;which is a common power to keep them in awe and to direct their actions to the common benefit.
The only way to erect such a common power,as may be able to defend them from the invasion of foreigners,and the injuries of one another,and thereby to secure them in such sort as that by their own industry and by the fruits of the earth they may nourish themselves and live contentedly,is to confer all their power and strength upon one man,or upon one assembly of men,that may reduce all their wills,by plurality of voices,unto one will:which is as much as to say,to appoint one man,or assembly of men,to bear their person;and every one to own and acknowledge himself to be author of whatsoever he that so beareth their person shall act,or cause to be acted,in those things which concern the common peace and safety;and therein to submit their wills,every one to his will,and their judgements to his judgement.This is more than consent,or concord;it is a real unity of them all in one and the same person,made by covenant of every man with every man,in such manner as if every man should say to every man:I authorise and give up my right of governing myself to this man,or to this assembly of men,on this condition;that thou give up,thy right to him,and authorise all his actions in like manner.This done,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 terror thereof,he is enabled to form the wills of them all,to peace at home,and mutual aid against their enemies abroad.And in him consisteth the essence of the Commonwealth;which,to define it,is:one person,of whose acts a great multitude,by mutual covenants one with another,have made themselves every one the author,to the end he may use the strength and means of them all as he shall think expedient for their peace and common defence.
And he that carryeth this person is called sovereign,and said to have sovereign power;and every one besides,his subject.
The attaining to this sovereign power is by two ways.One,by natural force:as when a man maketh his children to submit themselves,and their children,to his government,as being able to destroy them if they refuse;or by war subdueth his enemies to his will,giving them their lives on that condition.The other,is when men agree amongst themselves to submit to some man,or assembly of men,voluntarily,on confidence to be protected by him against all others.This latter may be called a political Commonwealth,or Commonwealth by Institution;and the former,a Commonwealth by acquisition.And first,I shall speak of a Commonwealth by institution.