The Leviathan (by Thomas Hobbes)

*The Leviathan* by Thomas Hobbes is a philosophical work that argues society needs a strong, centralized authority—like a powerful government—to maintain peace and prevent chaos. Hobbes believes humans are naturally self-interested and prone to conflict, so individuals agree, through a social contract, to give up some freedoms to a sovereign ruler. This sovereign, whether an individual or an assembly, has the authority to enforce laws and ensure order. Hobbes emphasizes that such an authority is essential because without it, life would be "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short," constantly threatened by violence and disorder.