Question

In what ways does the international system resemble Thomas Hobbes's view of the state of nature?

Conflicts are resolved peacefully.

One charismatic individual controls the whole system.

Stronger nations prey upon the weak.

State actors are constrained by an overarching legal system.

Answer 1

Hobbes' "state of nature" essentially means destructive anarchy. According to Hobbes, when there is no government, people fight amongst themselves. All this war means that nothing productive occurs. There can be no culture, no law, no ownership, no innovations.

If we're describing the international system this way, we are describing it as chaotic, unproductive, and warlike. In this context, the best answer is the third: "Stronger nations prey upon the weak."

Answer 2

C