Bees can make it, but men cannot (THOMAS HOBBES)

11 Jun Bees can make it, but men cannot (THOMAS HOBBES)

This consent, or concord, amongst so many men, though it may be made by the fear of a present invader, 
or by the hope of a present conquest, or booty, and endure as long as that action endureth, nevertheless,
by the diversity of judgments and passions in so many men contending naturally for honour and advantage
 one above another, it is impossible, not only that their consent to aid each other against an enemy, but also 
that the peace should last between themselves, without some mutual arid common fear to rule them. 

But contrary hereunto may be objected, the experience we have of certain living creatures a multitude irrational, 
that nevertheless continually live in of mime irratio creatures, such good order and government for their common 
and not of men benefit, and are so free from sedition and war amongst themselves, that for peace, profit, and 
defence, nothing more can be imaginable. And the experience we have in this, is in that little creature the bee, 
which is therefore reckoned amongst animalia politica. Why therefore may not men, that foresee the benefit of 
concord, continually maintain the same without compulsion, as well as they ? To which I answer, that amongst 
other living creatures, there is no question of precedence in their own species, nor strife about honour, or 
acknowledgment of one another's wisdom, as there is amongst men, from whence arise envy and hatred of one
 towards another, and from thence sedition and war. Secondly, those living creatures aim every one at peace and
 food common to them all ; men aim at dominion, superiority, and private wealth, which are distinct in every man, 
and breed contention. Thirdly, those living creatures that are without reason, have not learning enough to espy, 
or to think they espy, any defect in the government ; arid therefore are contented therewith. But in a multitude of 
men, there are always some that think themselves wiser than the rest, and strive to alter what they think amiss,
and divers of them strive to alter divers ways, and that causeth war. Fourthly, they want speech, and are therefore 
unable to instigate one another to faction, which men want not. Fifthly, they have no conception of right and wrong, 
but only of pleasure and pain,and therefore also no censure of one another, nor of their commander, as long as they 
arethemselves at ease; whereas men that make themselves judges of right and wrong, are then least at quiet, when
they are most at ease. Lastly, natural concord, such as is amongst those creatures, is the work of God by the way of 
nature; but concord amongst men is artificial, and by way of covenant. And therefore no wonder, if such irrational 
creatures as govern themselves in multitude, do it much more firmly than mankind, that do it by arbitrary institution. 

Human Nature

Thomas Hobbes