Hobbes’s moral philosophy: In defense of a vaccine mandate
The COVID-19 pandemic rages on, but vaccination rates in the United States remain relatively stagnant. As the question of vaccine mandates arises, I propose we turn to the philosophy of Thomas Hobbes to seek an answer. Hobbes, a seventeenth century British philosopher, authored The Leviathan in 1651 during the similarly tumultuous period of the English Civil War.
The root of Hobbes’s view in his desire to avoid a “nasty, brutish, and short” life and, ultimately, a violent death.
To be frank, I tend to agree with his sentiment. In order to escape this fate, which would be found in the “state of nature,” individuals engage in a “social contract,” thus entering a civil society under a powerful government, or Leviathan.
In exchange for receiving the public benefits and protection of the government, citizens must give up some individual rights for the general safety of the population. We take part in the social contract quite often in our everyday life.
For example, we refrain from drinking alcohol before driving, we put up with TSA screening at the airport, and we pay our taxes. Perhaps we do not always want to do the right thing, but we still forgoe our right to knock back a few brewskis so that we may protect other peoples’ right to continue living.
The social contract extends to the public health sector. With a disease as easily transmissible as COVID-19, it is clear that our “personal” decisions in regard to this disease are anything but.
More Americans have died from COVID-19 in 2021 thus far than in 2020, showing that our current vaccination rate of 57% is not high enough to achieve herd immunity. Even more worryingly, the virus replicates more quickly in unvaccinated bodies, which increases the chance of mutations. To me, Hobbes’ social contract clearly demands that we get vaccinated to protect our society.
Hobbesian ethics would go further, arguing that the U.S. government should institute a national vaccine mandate. This is because according to Hobbes, the Leviathan’s chief responsibility is the “safety of the people, to which he is obliged by the law of nature.” If you think that vaccine mandates constitute governmental overreach, consider the vaccine requirements which are already in place in most American public schools against diphtheria, tetanus, measles, mumps, and chickenpox, among others.
If you forgot about these diseases, that’s a good thing! This shows that vaccine mandates are very effective in virtually eradicating diseases.
Furthermore, some sections of the public are simply not authorized to receive the vaccine. Children under 12, those with severe allergies to vaccine components, and some immunocompromised people do not yet have the privilege of being able to protect themselves in this way. I would argue that if we are able to get the shot, and we elect not to do so, we are in fact infringing upon the rights of these people to, as Hobbes would say, avoid a “nasty, brutish, and short” life.
What is the purpose of the government if not to direct us to the proper course of action during a crisis? Americans show an admirable desire for individual liberties, but we cannot deny that our fates are linked, particularly when it comes to contagion. For these reasons, Hobbes would advocate for a state-appointed vaccine mandate to protect the lives of American citizens.
~ Fiona Casson ’23
