Editing Bellum omnium contra omnes (section)

== Thomas Hobbes' use ==
In ''[[Leviathan (Hobbes book)|Leviathan]]'' itself,<ref name=Lv >{{cite book |title=Leviathan |author=Thomas Hobbes |author-link=Thomas Hobbes |editor-first=Hermann |editor-last=Klenner |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KJJ1HkxT_hoC |publisher=Meiner Verlag |location=[[Hamburg]] |year=2005 |page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=KJJ1HkxT_hoC&dq=%22a+warre,+as+is+of+every+man,+against+every+man%22+%22a+perpetuall+warre+of+every+man+against+his+neighbour%22+%22bellum+omnium+in+omnes%22+%22bellum+omnium+contra+omnes%22&pg=610 610] |isbn=978-3-787-31699-1 }}{{Dead link|date=September 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> [[Thomas Hobbes|Hobbes]] speaks of 'warre of every one against every one',<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=BPtdfEZ2iDcC&dq=%22Warre+of+every+one+against+every+one%22&pg=PA72 Chapter 14].</ref> of 'a war [...] of every man against every man'<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=BPtdfEZ2iDcC&q=%22of+every+man+against+every+man%22 Chapters 13-14].</ref> and of 'a perpetuall warre of every man against his neighbour',<ref name=Lv /><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=BPtdfEZ2iDcC&q=%22a+perpetuall+warre+of+every+man+against+his+neighbour%22 Chapter 24].</ref> but the Latin phrase occurs in ''[[De Cive]]'':
{{Quote|[...] ''ostendo primo conditionem hominum extra societatem civilem, quam conditionem appellare liceat statum naturæ, aliam non esse quam bellum omnium contra omnes; atque in eo bello jus esse omnibus in omnia''.<ref>{{in lang|la}} [https://archive.org/details/operaphilosophi00molegoog/page/n158 <!-- pg=148 quote="ostendo primo conditionem hominum extra societatem civilem, quam conditionem appellare liceat statum naturae, aliam non esse quam bellum omnium contra omnes ; atque in eo bello jus esse omnibus in omnia". --> ''Præefatio'' ("Preface")].</ref>

(I demonstrate, in the first place, that the state of men without civil society (which state we may properly call the state of nature) is nothing else but a mere war of all against all; and in that war all men have equal right unto all things.)<ref>[https://www.google.com/search?&tbm=bks&q=%22I+demonstrate+in+the+first+place,+that+the+state+of+men+without+civil+society+(which+state+we+may+properly+call+the+state+of+nature)+is+nothing+else+but+a+mere+war+of+all+against+all;+and+in+that+war+all+men+have+equal+right+unto+all+things%22 English translation] on Google Books.</ref>}}

Later on, two slightly modified versions are presented in ''De Cive'':
{{Quote|[...] ''Status hominum naturalis antequam in societatem coiretur, bellum fuerit; neque hoc simpliciter, sed bellum omnium in omnes.''<ref>{{in lang|la}} [https://archive.org/details/operaphilosophi00molegoog/page/n176 <!-- pg=166 quote="status hominum naturalis antequam in societatem coiretur, bellum fuerit; neque hoc simpliciter, sed bellum omnium""in omnes". --> Chapter 1, section 12].</ref>

(The natural state of men, before they entered into society, was a mere war, and that not simply, but a war of all men against all men.)<ref>[https://www.google.com/search?&tbm=bks&q=inauthor%3A%22Thomas+Hobbes%22%22The+natural+state+of+men,+before+they+entered+into+society,+was+a+mere+war,+and+that+not+simply,+but+a+war+of+all+men+against+all+men%22 English translation] on Google Books.</ref>}}

{{Quote|''Nam unusquisque naturali necessitate bonum sibi appetit, neque est quisquam qui bellum istud omnium contra omnes, quod tali statui naturaliter adhæret, sibi existimat esse bonum''.<ref>{{in lang|la}} [https://archive.org/details/operaphilosophi00molegoog/page/n176 <!-- pg=166 quote="Nam unusquisque naturali necessitate bonum sibi appetit, neque est quisquam qui bellum istud omnium contra omnes, quod tali statui naturaliter adhaeret, sibi existimat esse bonum". --> Chapter 1, section 13].</ref>

(For every man by natural necessity desires that which is good for him: nor is there any that esteems a war of all against all, which necessarily adheres to such a state, to be good for him.)<ref>[https://www.google.com/search?&tbm=bks&q=%22De+Cive%22%22For+every+man+by+natural+necessity+desires+that+which+is+good+for+him%3A+nor+is+there+any+that+esteems+a+war+of+all+against+all%2C+which+necessarily+adheres+to+such+a+state%2C+to+be+good+for+him%22 English translation] on Google Books.</ref>}}

In chapter XIII of ''Leviathan'',<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bartleby.com/34/5/13.html |title=Chapter XIII - Of the Natural Condition of Mankind as Concerning Their Felicity and Misery |author=Thomas Hobbes |date= |work=bartleby.com |accessdate=15 August 2012 |archive-date=4 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201204090304/https://www.bartleby.com/34/5/13.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Hobbes explains the concept with these words:
{{Quote|Hereby it is manifest that during the time men live without a common Power to keep them all in awe, they are in that condition which is called War; and such a war as is of every man against every man.<ref>[https://www.google.com/search?&tbm=bks&q=inauthor:%22Thomas+Hobbes%22%22Hereby+it+is+manifest+that+during+the+time+men+live+without+a+common+Power+to+keep+them+all+in+awe,+they+are+in+that+condition+which+is+called+War;+and+such+a+war+as+is+of+every+man+against+every+man%22 Occurrences] on Google Books.</ref> [...] In such condition there is no place for Industry, because the fruit thereof is uncertain: and consequently no Culture of the Earth; no Navigation, nor use of the commodities that may be imported by Sea; no commodious Building; no Instruments of moving and removing such things as require much force; no Knowledge of the face of the Earth; no account of Time; no Arts; no Letters; no Society; and which is worst of all, continual Fear, and danger of violent death; And the life of man solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.<ref>[https://www.google.com/search?&tbm=bks&q=inauthor:%22Thomas+Hobbes%22%22In+such+condition+there+is+no+place+for+Industry,+because+the+fruit+thereof+is+uncertain:+and+consequently+no+Culture+of+the+Earth;+no+Navigation,+nor+use+of+the+commodities+that+may+be+imported+by+Sea;+no+commodious+Building;+no+Instruments+of+moving+and+removing+such+things+as+require+much+force;+no+Knowledge+of+the+face+of+the+Earth;+no+account+of+Time;+no+Arts;+no+Letters;+no+Society;+and+which+is+worst+of+all,+continual+Fear,+and+danger+of+violent+death;+And+the+life+of+man+solitary,+poor,+nasty,+brutish,+and+short%22 ''Ibid.'']</ref>}}

The thought experiment places people in a pre-social condition, and theorizes what would happen in such a condition. According to Hobbes, the outcome is that people choose to enter a [[social contract]], giving up some of their liberties in order to enjoy peace. This thought experiment is a test for the [[Legitimacy (political)|legitimation]] of a [[Sovereign state|state]] in fulfilling its role as "[[sovereignty|sovereign]]" to guarantee social order, and for comparing different types of states on that basis.

Hobbes distinguishes between war and battle: war does not only consist of actual battle; it points to the situation in which one knows there is a 'Will to contend by Battle'.<ref>[https://www.google.com/search?&tbm=bks&q=inauthor:%22Thomas+Hobbes%22+Leviathan+%22Will+to+contend+by+Battle%22 ''Ibid.'']</ref>