Alex Priou: A Straussian Generation?

Published in 1651, 'Leviathan' by Thomas Hobbes is a comprehensive treatise on political philosophy. The book is divided into four main parts: 'Of Man,' 'Of Commonwealth,' 'Of a Christian Commonwealth,' and 'Of the Kingdom of Darkness.' Hobbes argues that the natural state of humans is one of conflict and anarchy, and that the best way to achieve peace and security is through the establishment of a commonwealth governed by an absolute sovereign. This sovereign, which Hobbes terms the 'Leviathan,' has supreme authority over all aspects of governance, including law, religion, and public offices. Hobbes' work is a foundational text in social contract theory and continues to influence political thought to this day.

In this book, Leo Strauss argues that there is a firm foundation in reality for the distinction between right and wrong in ethics and politics. He contrasts classical natural right, as expounded by Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, and Thomas Aquinas, with modern natural right, which began with Thomas Hobbes and was further developed by thinkers like Locke, Rousseau, and Burke. Strauss critiques modern natural right for leading to historicist relativism and argues that classical natural right is more in line with human nature as political animals. The book is a comprehensive analysis of the intellectual crisis of modernity and the role of philosophy in understanding natural right[1][3][4].