Government is Incomplete Conquest

... sure, this established a contractual relationship. Yet, having been defeated, the loser didn't have much choice as to the terms of the contract. The victors, that is the thugs, emerged cleansed and sanctified as the feudal aristocracy. When Thomas Hobbes grounded his theory of government in the consent of free individuals born with inalienable rights, he didn't represent them as having much choice either. They had either to face constant fear of violent death, or surrender all their ...