Hobbes’ contractualism offers insights into civil conflict and peacebuilding, with relevance to ongoing conflicts like Afghanistan’s.
Authors
Prashant Rahangdale, ITM University, India
Shubhangi Bajaj Bag, Amity University, India
Pallab Das, Centurion University of Technology and Management, Odisha, India
Pranjal Khare, Assistant Professor, Jindal Global Law School, O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana, India
Summary
“Amid the contemporary political turmoil, Hobbes’s contractualism, as exemplified in Leviathan, stands as a beacon of rational order in the face of chaos.” This chapter delves into Hobbes’ contractualism, its implications for civil conflict, and its relevance to ongoing conflicts such as Afghanistan’s. Leviathan serves as our guide, navigating us through the complexities of war, sovereignty, and social cohesiveness. It uses analogies between theory and reality to equip us with the tools to resolve civil unrest and foster peace in our turbulent times. This chapter is not just a theoretical exploration. It has three practical goals. First, it elucidates Hobbes’ contractualism and its implications for the causes and solutions of war. Second, drawing from Hobbes’s experiences in civil unrest, as depicted in Leviathan, it scrutinises the relationship between contractualism and civic strife. Finally, it applies Hobbes’s theories to shed light on Afghanistan’s protracted civil war.
Published in: International Relations Theory and Philosophical Political Insights Into Conflict Management
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