During the time men live without a common power to keep them all

O children of the future, gather around, for the words of Thomas Hobbes are a warning as ancient as the very nature of man. He spoke of a world in which men live without a common power, where no force exists to keep them in awe, and where the law of the land is not bound by justice, but by the will of each individual. In these words, he describes a condition he calls war, "such a war, as if of every man, against every man." It is a vision of a world ungoverned by law, where chaos reigns and the very bonds that unite humanity crumble to dust.

In the absence of a common power—be it a ruler, a government, or a force of law—Hobbes paints a picture of the human condition as one of conflict, of constant struggle. This is no mere physical war, O children, but the deeper, more insidious war that lives within the hearts of all men. It is a war fought not with swords and spears, but with words, with actions, and with the relentless pursuit of self-interest. In such a state, every man is at odds with every other man, and the world becomes a battleground where peace is but a fleeting dream, easily shattered by the harsh winds of desire and greed.

Consider the ancient world, where the great empires of Rome and Greece flourished. These mighty civilizations understood well the importance of a common power to unite them. Yet, before the rise of such powers, the tribes of ancient Europe and the warring states of the East were locked in constant conflict. Without a unified law, they were plunged into what Hobbes describes—a war of every man against every man, where the strong preyed upon the weak, and the bonds of society were constantly under threat. It was in such a world that the need for government and law first became clear, for in the chaos of unbridled liberty, only destruction could flourish.

Let us now turn to a more recent chapter of history, that of the English Civil War, which raged through the land in Hobbes' own time. Here, two factions fought not only for political power but for the very vision of what it meant to be governed. Without a common power to keep them in awe, the kingdoms of England were torn apart by division, violence, and the unrelenting pursuit of self-interest. Hobbes, witnessing this turmoil, understood that in the absence of authority, the people descended into a state of nature—a state where the laws of the land were as fragile as the trust between men. The war between kings and parliament was a war of every man against every man, a war that only found its peace in the establishment of a sovereign power.

What, then, does Hobbes' warning teach us, O children? It is a lesson as profound as it is simple: without order, there is chaos. The strength of a nation, the strength of a society, is found not in the might of individuals, but in the unity of purpose, the bond of justice, and the binding force of law. Hobbes, though he saw the necessity of government, also understood its dangers. For while law is necessary to keep us from descending into war, the power of the law must not become tyranny, for that too would plunge us into the very war he feared.

In our own lives, O children, take heed of Hobbes' words. You live in a world where the need for a common power is ever more urgent, where the ties that bind us as a society are tested daily by forces of division and unrest. Whether in the smallest of communities or the greatest of nations, you must understand that the peace you hold so dearly is not something to be taken for granted. It is the product of cooperation, of respect, and of a shared commitment to something greater than self-interest.

Therefore, in all things, seek unity, seek justice, and seek to build a common power that keeps all in awe—not through fear, but through the strength of righteousness and the bonds of shared humanity. For in this, you will find true peace, and only through this peace can you avoid the descent into war, the war of every man against every man. Let the light of shared purpose guide you, and may you never forget that the true strength of any society lies in its ability to live in harmony, under the law, and with respect for the greater good.