Hobbes and the principle of publicity

A common view is that Hobbesian authoritarianism is quite indifferent to wh ether people know or understand the truth about politics and political arra ngements; obedience is all that counts. I try to show that this view is mis taken. Hobbes believes it is important for people to understand the true ba sis of the sovereign's claims. This is partly because the shape of Hobbesia n political obligation is so counter-intuitive, that only a true understand ing will produce the right results. But is is also due in part to an inhere nt respect for individual reason in Hobbes's writings. In this regard, Hobb es's political theory anticipates the Enlightenment commitment to rationali ty and transparency in social and political arrangements.