“A generall Rule of Reason: That every man ought to endeavour Peace, as farre as he can hope of obtaining it; and when he cannot obtain it, that he may seek, and use, all helps, and advantages of Warre.”Thomas Hobbes · Leviathan · 1651 · Partea I, capitolul 14
Seek peace with all your might, but never surrender your means of self-defense.
This is the first law of nature in Leviathan. In the state of nature anyone can be killed by anyone, so permanent conflict makes life miserable. Reason discovers that peace serves us better than war, so we give up our absolute right to everything insofar as others do the same. But when peace is impossible, self-defense remains legitimate. A state that negotiates a truce when possible, yet fights with everything it has when attacked, follows exactly this rule.
Passage 1 goes beyond the rule itself: it is not merely prudent advice, but a rational conclusion. For Hobbes, reason works like a calculation, not a moral ideal. If I can picture life under peace and life under fear, the comparison alone pushes me toward peace. No virtue is needed, only clarity. A neighbor who waits to see whether you will build your fence before building his reasons exactly this way: his cooperation depends on yours. From here arises the question that opens the road ahead: if we all think this way, why does peace still sometimes fail?
Why it matters The rule helps anyone decide when to cooperate and when to defend themselves: in diplomacy, business, or family conflict, striving for peace should never be confused with giving up self-defense.