Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes, Chapter 22 summary
Chapter 22 of 65 · Part 2: Of the Commonwealth · 19 min to read the chapter
In Chapter 22, Hobbes classifies groups within a commonwealth and explains how sovereign permission and public law limit their representatives, debts, and decisions. He distinguishes lawful cooperation from private factions and dangerous crowds, arguing that subordinate bodies cannot claim the sovereign’s unrestricted authority or replace public justice with their own force.
What happens
- The argument divides groups by representation, independence, public authorization, and lawfulness.
- Sovereign documents and ordinary laws limit political representatives and determine responsibility for unauthorized acts, borrowing, and fines.
- Provincial governments, trading corporations, and advisory deputies receive powers restricted by their particular purposes and commissions.
- Household authority remains lawful only within public law, while unauthorized organized bodies can threaten the commonwealth.
- Private defensive leagues, secret factions, and excessive household forces undermine public protection and justice.
- The example at Ephesus shows how even a justified complaint becomes unlawful when pursued through a riotous crowd.
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What determines a political representative’s authority when its founding letters are silent?
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