Imagine a world where fear and chaos rule, where every person is in constant conflict, and life is a brutal fight for survival. This is the bleak reality Hobbes presents, showing how human self-interest leads to inevitable strife unless a powerful authority, the "Leviathan," is established. In gripping detail, he explores how this authority can create order and peace, turning chaos into a stable society. With sharp, thought-provoking insights, the book questions the balance between freedom and control in the quest for security.
Leviathan is a groundbreaking work that forever changed the way we think about power, government, and society. Written during the turbulence of the English Civil War, Hobbes' ideas laid the foundation for modern political philosophy. His argument for a strong, central authority to maintain peace influenced thinkers for centuries and shaped the development of constitutional governments. Even today, Hobbes' vision of the "social contract" continues to provoke debate about the balance between authority and individual freedom in society.