Rational Natural Law and German Sociology: Hobbes, Locke and Tönnies

The Stateless Person, the Citizen and Human Rights: A Revised Neo-Hobbesian Theory of Human Rights for Sociology

“…Ferdinand Tönnies is one notable exception; several scholars (Adair-Toteff, 2019: 70–71; Bond, 2011; Chernilo, 2013: 162; Harris, 2001: x, xii–xiii, xxv; Loomis and McKinney, 2002: 1; Wickham, 2014: 148) point to Hobbes as a major influence in Tönnies’ thought. Harris (2001: ix), for example, notes that Tönnies considered Hobbes to be one of ‘the true inventors and masters of theoretical sociology’ (see also Adair-Toteff, 2019: 70–71; Harris, 2001: xxv), and that Hobbes inspired Tönnies’ use of gemeinschaft and gesellschaft as ideal-typical models (Harris, 2001: xxv).…”

“…. into the social theory of Hobbes’ early in his career (Bond, 2011: 1177, see also 1179), Tönnies held hope of becoming a ‘Hobbes scholar’ (Harris, 2001: xiv–xv).…”

“…Besides retrieving several neglected manuscripts of Hobbes, producing a monograph on Hobbes in 1896, and editing Hobbes’ Elements of Law in 1888 (Hobbes, 1928) and Behemoth in 1889, Tönnies’ substantial work on Hobbes can be found in four articles entitled ‘Anmerkungen über die Philosophie des Hobbes’ published between 1879 and 1881 in Vierteljahrsschrift für wissenschaftliche Philosophie (Adair-Toteff, 2019: 70–71; Bond, 2011; Harris, 2001: xii–xiii). According to Adair-Toteff (2019: 70–71; see also Bond, 2011: 1179), in these articles Tönnies discusses ‘Hobbes’ general political philosophy’, ‘his conception of the will and the discord in social life’, ‘Hobbes’ notion of natural equality, the function of legal contracts, and the role of the sovereign in the state and society’. The translation into English of this Hobbesian scholarship by a founding thinker of the discipline might make an important contribution to the recovery of Hobbes as a social theorist.…”

“…The translation into English of this Hobbesian scholarship by a founding thinker of the discipline might make an important contribution to the recovery of Hobbes as a social theorist. Indeed, Bond (2011Bond ( : 1198; see also 1200) argues Tönnies' engagement with Hobbes is 'an urgent research desideratum' both for sociological and Hobbesian scholarship.…”

Ferdinand Tönnies and Enlightenment: A Friend or Foe of Reason?

“…7 I have previously discussed the influence of "organic" theories of society upon Tönnies's thought by examining his reception of the Romantics, western European positivists such as Comte and Spencer, and Arthur Schopenhauer. 8 However, apart from my discussion of Tönnies's early work on the philosophies of Thomas Hobbes and John Locke,9 little has been written on the prominent, if albeit historicised presence in Community and Society of thinkers who in Germany are attributed to rationalism, Aufkla¨rung or Enlightenment. For Ferdinand Tönnies offers an explanation not just of forms of solidarity that preceded the rise of the modern rational, commercial, industrial and utilitarian spirit in his theory of Gemeinschaft or pre-modern community, based upon Wesenwille or essential will, drawing inspiration from Romantic authors such as Novalis and Schelling.…”