Thomas Hobbes (Philosopher)

Thomas Hobbes was a 17th-century English philosopher best known for his work "Leviathan." He theorized that in a state of nature, without government, life would be "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short" due to human selfishness and competition. To escape this chaos, he argued that people consent to a social contract, surrendering some freedoms to a powerful authority (a sovereign) to ensure order and protection. Hobbes believed that a strong, centralized government is necessary to maintain peace and prevent conflict, reflecting his views on human nature and society's need for structure.