Assessment Task 1: Analytical Essay – Thomas Hobbes and the Significance of Social Contract Theory

Course Code and Title

PHIL 212 / POLS 305: Early Modern Political Thought – Semester 2, 2026

Weighting: 40% | Due: Week 6, Sunday 23:59 | Length: 900–1,100 word essay (approximately 3 pages, double-spaced, 12 pt font, excluding references)

Context and Purpose

This individual written essay sits early in the unit to help students grasp how foundational texts shape later ideas about government and society. It matches standard briefs found on sites such as studocu.com, coursehero.com and ukessays.com for modules on Hobbes, where lecturers ask for close reading of Leviathan alongside discussion of literary devices and lasting influence on documents like the US Constitution.

Task Description

Write an essay that examines the significance of Thomas Hobbes’ social contract theory in Leviathan. Begin by explaining how Hobbes drew on the English Civil Wars and used metaphors such as the Leviathan figure to make complex ideas more readable, noting any parallels with Shakespearean allegory common in that era. Then analyse specific passages: the dream description in Chapter 2, the treatment of desire and love in Chapter 6, and the comment on differing opinions and madness in Chapter 8. Discuss how these ideas clarify why people may not always know what they truly want from rulers. End by evaluating how the social contract notion influenced the creation of the Declaration of Independence and US Constitution, paying attention to the balance between citizen rights and authority. Use MLA 9th edition throughout and reference the primary text plus at least two secondary sources.

Requirements and Guidelines

• Introduction that states your main argument about why the social contract still matters today
• Body sections that quote and explain the chosen chapters, link metaphors and emotional insights to political unity
• Conclusion that connects Hobbes’ ideas to one modern democratic challenge such as polarisation
• Word count strictly 900–1,100; include word count on title page
• MLA 9th in-text citations and Works Cited list; submit via Turnitin
• Original analysis required; avoid plot summary alone

Marking Criteria (out of 100)

1. Accurate understanding of key passages and metaphors with direct quotes – 30 marks
2. Clear links between Hobbes’ ideas on emotion, confusion and the need for contract – 25 marks
3. Evaluation of influence on later documents with balanced critique – 20 marks
4. Essay structure, academic tone and MLA formatting – 15 marks
5. Range of relevant references and depth of insight – 10 marks

Sample Answer Content (extract for guidance – 172 words)

Hobbes wrote Leviathan after watching England tear itself apart in civil war. He chose the image of a giant made of people to show how society gains strength only when everyone agrees to let one power keep order. That metaphor helped readers picture the argument without feeling overwhelmed. In the second chapter he notes that dreams often reverse daytime thoughts and run backwards. This detail suggests people carry hidden wishes that surface when reason sleeps. Chapter six then equates love with desire and hate with aversion, reminding us that everyday language can blur what citizens really expect from kings or parliaments. Later in chapter eight Hobbes observes that opinions about causes of madness have stayed the same across centuries. Such continuity shows political fights follow old patterns even when faces change. These sections together argue that a clear social contract stops confusion from destroying the commonwealth. The American founders later used similar logic when they listed rights yet accepted limits on personal freedom to protect the whole.

Bejan, T. M. (2023). Hobbes and hats. American Political Science Review, 117(4), 1188–1201. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0003055422001356

Scholars sometimes question whether Hobbes truly wanted absolute rule or simply feared chaos more than anything else. Looking at the frontispiece details helps here because the hats worn by figures show respect for order yet keep individual faces visible. Real court records from 1650s England record similar gestures of deference that Hobbes would have seen daily. When students test his ideas against today’s divided elections they often notice that the contract still explains why trust breaks down fast once language turns casual or emotional. Recent modelling work confirms that groups without a shared understanding of authority quickly slide toward conflict, exactly as Hobbes warned.

References (suggested credible sources – select three plus primary text)

Bejan, T. M. (2023). Hobbes and hats. American Political Science Review, 117(4), 1188–1201. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0003055422001356

Schaefer, A. (2022). Unravelling into war: trust and social preferences in Hobbes’s state of nature. Economics & Philosophy, 38(2), 171–205. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0266267121000079

Seabright, P., Stieglitz, J., & Van der Straeten, K. (2021). Evaluating social contract theory in the light of evolutionary social science. Evolutionary Human Sciences, 3, e20. https://doi.org/10.1017/ehs.2021.4

Lakitsch, M. (2021). Hobbes in the Anthropocene: Reconsidering the state of nature. Alternatives: Global, Local, Political, 46(1), 3–20. https://doi.org/10.1177/03043754211008677

Hobbes, T. (1994). Leviathan (E. Curley, Ed.). Hackett. (Original work published 1651)

Assignment (Week 8 – 25% weighting)

Comparative Discussion Board Post – Locke versus Hobbes on Natural Rights. Course: PHIL 212. Overview: Post 400–500 words comparing one key difference between Hobbes’ and Locke’s views on the state of nature and the social contract. Include one direct quote from each thinker and one modern example such as gun laws or protest rights. Reply to two peers with 120 words each adding a point about Rousseau or current events. Initial post due Tuesday; replies Thursday. Cite one 2020–2025 secondary source. Rubric rewards textual evidence, respectful comparison and clear connection to today’s debates.