"La obligación de los súbditos hacia el soberano se entiende que dura tanto tiempo como dure el poder por el cual él puede protegerlos."
— Thomas Hobbes
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Simplified Meaning:
People owe loyalty to their leaders as long as the leaders protect and take care of them. Imagine you live in a small village, and the chief of the village promises to keep everyone safe from harm. Everyone respects and follows the chief because he has the power to keep them safe. However, if one day the chief can't protect the village anymore, maybe because he's too old or someone stronger comes along, people won't feel the need to be loyal to him anymore. In other words, people's loyalty is tied to the chief’s ability to do his job. So, if leaders want to keep the support of their people, they need to make sure they are always capable of protecting and helping them.
Related tags
Authority Obligation Political philosophy Power dynamics Protection Social contract Sovereignty Thomas hobbes
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