Although Hobbes is correct in his idea that man can never be peaceful unless he is governed under an iron fist, I disagree with the idea that man should be governed with such strict ideas.

Consider the very time and conflict in which Hobbes existed and in which all great philosiphers existed. The warring city states of Aristotle, Socrates, Sun Tzu, and Machiavelli are what made them write their theories. Without the conflict that an ungoverned populace creates, these ideas of these great thinkers would have never emerged.

Consider the blade, and indeed all inventions driven forth from the existance of war. Would we have nuclear power, or rockets? It is the necessity of war that makes invention bring forth the child of invention. Without conflict, we lack a major reason to keep improving our technology.

Consider freedom, and all ideas that were once suppressed. Under the tyrannical rule thought of by Hobbes, these ideas would die. What would our world be if Christianity was snubbed out by Nero, or if King George had ended the founding fathers at the birth of their ideas? We would be without so much culture, ideas, and ideals that we would not find such a world hospitable.

Although the race of man is one best governed by law, it is the lack of governing that allows man to bring forth the fruits of his wisdom. Hobbes was right about man's nature, but not about how to interact with it.