Thomas Hobbes (Janae Walker)

I was born on April 5, 1588 at Westport in Wiltshire, England. My childhood was vague, I can't even recall the name of my mother. My father, on the other hand, also bore the name Thomas. He was a vicar, or representative, of Charlton and Westport. He had to leave his wife, my brother Edmund, my sister, and I with my uncle Francis, a wealthy merchant, because he had to flee to London after getting in a fight with a clergyman in front of his church. I started my education at Westport church at the age of four. Then I went to Malesbury school then to a private school. I was a fine student. In 1603 I went to Magdalen Hall. The Puritan principal, John Wilkinson, had quite some influence on me. At university I mainly followed my own curriculum, however, Sir James Hussey, my master at Magdalen Hall, recommend me as a tutor. I spent time in several different counties to meet with scientists and to study different forms of government. Then I got into what form of government would be best for England. I have written some books and my most famous is Leviathan and it was written in 1651. This book states that men at naturally cruel, greedy, and selfish and could not be trusted to govern. Ergo, I believe in a absolute monarchy, or a government that gives all power to a king or queen. People, left to themselves would act on their cruel and evil impulses and therefore should not be trusted to run a government. Government was made in order to protect people from their own selfishness. Because people are interested in promoting their self-interest, democracy will never work. All mankind is in a perpetual and restless desire for power that stops only in death.