Thomas Hobbes' Leviathan is not only a classic of modern political philosophy, but since September 11, 2001, it has also become one of the most cited works in political journalism. The state as a "mortal god" that people create to escape the natural struggle of all against all; self-preservation as the fundamental motive of a political order, where security takes precedence over freedom; fear not as a threat, but as a means of politics: these theses have challenged generations of philosophers and have lost none of their provocative power.