Leviathan

More about the book

Focusing on the concept of the social contract, Hobbes advocates for a powerful sovereign to prevent chaos and civil war, which he associates with a state of nature. His famous phrase "Bellum omnium contra omnes" encapsulates his view of human conflict without governance. Unlike later philosophers, Hobbes denies the right to rebellion against the sovereign, although he acknowledges that if a government fails to protect its citizens, the social contract becomes void, leading society back to a state of nature until a new contract is established.