The Latin phrase “homo homini lupus” — man is a wolf to man — has become emblematic of a pessimistic view of human nature and a justification for state authority. Philosopher Thomas Hobbes popularized this idea in his work Leviathan (1651), arguing that in the natural state, without a state or laws, humans live in a permanent war, a “bellum omnium contra omnes” — the war of all against all. For Hobbes, the solution was a strong state, a Leviathan imposing peace through force and strict rules.
However, this view, while influential, is flawed and distorted. It does not describe the true nature of humans or pre-state societies. Moreover, it has been used to justify an artificial form of social organization that, far from bringing peace and order, destroyed authentic human bonds and fueled new conflicts.
🕰️ Humans Before the State — Natural Communities and Genuine Cooperation
Before the existence of states, written laws, or elites imposed by force, humans lived in small groups, communities based on trust, mutual support, and real social bonds. Anthropological evidence from hunter-gatherer societies shows that these people had clear unwritten rules, helped each other in hunting, and defended the group. Elites were not arbitrarily imposed but emerged naturally based on respect, skills, and a desire to protect.
These communities functioned like a natural wolf pack — with hierarchy but also deep cooperation and respect among members. Internal conflicts were managed through communication, compromise, and social balance. They did not live in a permanent war but a fragile yet stable equilibrium built on real bonds.
🏛️ The State and Laws — The Beginning of Social Fracture and Artificial Conflict
The emergence of the state and written laws marked a fundamental rupture. Instead of strengthening the community, the state imposed an artificial order based on fear, domination, and external rules. Political elites became imposed forces, often detached from the real needs of the community, maintaining power through control and coercion.
Thus, conflicts that in natural communities were managed informally were replaced by political rivalries, power struggles, and deep social divisions. The state “gathered” people under a “false pack,” devoid of soul and authentic cohesion.
📜 The Natural State — A Justificatory Myth for Authority
Hobbes’ vision of the natural state as continuous war is not an objective description but a myth used to legitimize the existence of the state and its ruling elite. Through this theory, a false image of human nature as essentially conflictual and violent was created, justifying a strong authority imposed from above to maintain order by force.
Modern critics from philosophy and anthropology show that this theory ignores the real diversity of ways humans have lived and still live, where cooperation, altruism, and social bonds are as natural as conflict.
🔄 The Paradox of the Modern Human Condition
Today, paradoxically, we live in a world where states and laws have not eliminated conflict but shifted it to another level, often more subtle and sophisticated. Ruling elites may defend their own interests at the expense of the wider community, and people often feel uprooted, lacking the support of real and authentic bonds.
In this false pack, humans become “wolves” to one another — not because it is in their nature, but because current social structures push them into competition and mistrust.
🌱 Conclusion — Towards Rebuilding Authentic Communities
It is essential to recognize that real peace and order do not come from imposing laws and authority from above but from reconnecting people through authentic communities based on trust, respect, and natural cooperation.
Elites should not be imposed but should arise organically, as protectors and servants of the community, not its masters.
Only by rediscovering this “natural pack” can we hope for a world where “man is no longer a wolf to man” but brother, ally, and partner.
