Gateway to the Social Contract brings together a selection of writings from political theorists Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau exploring questions of political legitimacy and authority.

Thomas Hobbes argues for a social contract and rule by an absolute sovereign. Influenced by the English Civil War Hobbes wrote that chaos or civil war-situations identified with a state…

Hobbes envisions a chaotic world driven by self-interest, where survival is brutal. He argues peace requires the "Leviathan," balancing freedom and control to ensure societal stability and security.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.

This work is in the "public…

This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCRd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words. This book may have…

Thomas Hobbes is now regarded as one of England's greatest political philosophers. This book considers his reception in Ireland, where, it is suggested, the 'Leviathan' was released. In doing so…

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.

This work is in the "public…

This original book has been consistently cited by scholars of international relations who explore the roots of realism in Thucydides’s history and the political philosophy of Thomas Hobbes. While acknowledging…