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Any reasonable individual would seek an alternative to a life that is "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short." Such was Hobbes's simple yet ingenious solution to the problem of consensus--an absolute evil, rather than an elusive absolute good--and such was the birth of the "state of nature." Hobbes's concept of the natural condition of mankind became a point of reference for subsequent political thought, shaping the thought of emulators and critics alike, and has had a profound impact on our approach to understanding human nature, conflict, and international relations. Drawing on political science, history, philosophy, and the history of political thought, this book will trace the origin and development of the concept of the state of nature, and consider its impact on contemporary debates on human nature and sovereignty. During July and August 2008, I would like to conduct a final round of library and archival research in the United Kingdom.