Going further than Hobbes, who relied on the general…
““Going further than Hobbes, who relied on the general convergence of interests between the Many and the One who rules, some of the Physiocrats invented institutional arrangements specifically designed to make the despot truly “legal.” On the one hand, they elaborated a system of judicial control that would see to it that the laws issued by the sovereign and his council are not contrary to the “natural order” that is to be reflected in the fundamental constitution of the state.43 But an even more important safeguard was the idea that the sovereign should be given a real stake in the prosperity of his commonwealth. This was the purpose of the institution of co-property that Le Mercier de la Rivière proposed in his Ordre naturel et essentiel des sociétés politiques (1767).44 According to his plan, the sovereign would be co-owner, in a set and unchangeable proportion, of all the productive resources and of the produit net: as a result, any conflict of interests between him and the country at large would be inconceivable, and the Hobbesian identity of interests would be transparent even to the most obtuse and wicked despot.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Hobbes’ ideas were extended by physiocrats who linked sovereign power to shared wealth, creating legal legitimacy through co‑ownership.
In simple terms: Sovereign co‑ownership ties power to prosperity.
Key Takeaway
Consider shared stakes for fairness.
Themes
politics
economics
law
philosophy
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
academic
political
When to use this quote
- policy making
- government reform
- corporate governance
- public debates
Key Concepts
sovereignty
property rights
social contract
institutional design
Questions to Reflect On
- How does shared ownership affect accountability?
- What safeguards prevent abuse?
A Different Perspective
Implementation can be complex and may concentrate power.