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    For Hobbes, subjects alienate their natural right entirel... — Carmelics
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    Supports→Spinoza's account of sovereign authority differs fundamentally from Hobbes's account, in which the sovereign is always vested with nearly absolute legislative authority.

    For Hobbes, subjects alienate their natural right entirely to the sovereign, who retains authority even when governance is harmful, as in Leviathan Ch. 18.

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    Reasons For

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    Reason for
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    • 1.Hobbes argues subjects covenant to transfer all natural rights to prevent the war of all against all, making sovereign authority absolute by contract.
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    • 2.For Hobbes, withdrawing consent retroactively would dissolve the peace mechanism entirely, making conditional sovereignty logically incoherent.
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    • 3.Leviathan Ch. 18 explicitly states the sovereign cannot breach the covenant, since subjects authorized all sovereign actions prospectively.
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    Reasons Against

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    • 1.Hobbes distinguishes between irrevocable sovereignty and subjects retaining a right to self-preservation when facing direct death threats.
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    • 2.The covenant's purpose is peace and protection; a sovereign causing systematic harm undermines the rational basis for the original agreement itself.
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    • 3.Hobbes acknowledges subjects may resist when sovereigns actively kill them, implying retained rights despite formal alienation language.
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    Social Contract1 linkedDemocracy & Governance1 linked

    Related

    For Hobbes, withdrawing consent retroactively would dissolve the peace mechanism...Hobbes acknowledges subjects may resist when sovereigns actively kill them, impl...Hobbes argues subjects covenant to transfer all natural rights to prevent the wa...Hobbes distinguishes between irrevocable sovereignty and subjects retaining a ri...
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    Leviathan Ch. 18 explicitly states the sovereign cannot breach the covenant, sin...Spinoza's account of sovereign authority differs fundamentally from Hobbes's acc...The covenant's purpose is peace and protection; a sovereign causing systematic h...

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    2 (1 for, 1 against)
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