The Bellum omnium contra omnes reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Jul-2004 (provided by Fixed Reference: snapshots of Wikipedia from wikipedia.org)

Bellum omnium contra omnes

"Bellum omnium contra omnes" is Latin for the war of all against all. It is the description that Thomas Hobbes gives to human existence in the state-of-nature thought experiment that he conducts in Leviathan. This thought experiment places people in a pre-social condition, and theorizes what would happen in such a condition. According to Hobbes, the outcome is that people choose to enter a social contract, giving up some of their liberties in order to enjoy peace. This thought experiment is a test for the legitimation of a state in fulfilling its role as "sovereign," and for comparing different types of states on that basis.

See also:

• Social contract theories
• Leviathan (book)

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