Hobbes on Legal Authority and Political Obligation develops a new interpretation of Hobbes's theory of political obligation. According to the account developed in the book, the directives issued by the sovereign as introducing authoritative requirements, so that subjects are morally obligated to obey them.

Chapter 1. Introduction1.1. The Project1.2. Method1.3. Strategy1.4. Textual EvidenceChapter 2. Coercion, Rational Self-Interest, and Obligation2.1. Conflict in the State of Nature2.2. Anti-Social Passions and Sanctions for Non-Compliance2.3. Legal Coercion, Private Good, and the Common Good2.4. The End of the Story?2.5. Lloyd's AccountChapter 3. The Authority of Law3.1. The Concept of Authority3.2. Even For the Rationally and Morally Perfect3.3. The Command Theory of Law3.4. Arbitration3.5. Beliefs or Actions?Chapter 4. Political Obligation4.1. Egoism4.2. Moral Reasons in Hobbes?4.3. The Theory of Political Obligation4.4. The Mutual Containment Thesis4.5. The Rationale for Political DisobedienceChapter 5. Contractarianism5.1. Hobbes' Account: An Interpretation5.2. What Difference does the Sovereign Make?5.3. Contractual Obligation: Prudential or Deontological?5.4. Obligation and ReasonChapter 6. The Hobbesian Analysis of Contracts under Coercion: A Critique6.1. Hobbes on Voluntariness, Coercion, and Obligation6.2. Coercion, Rationality and Voluntariness6.3. Rationality without Voluntariness6.4. ConclusionFinal RemarksBibliography