Thomas Hobbes

Thomas Hobbes was a 17th century English philosopher and mathematician. He came up with the social contract theory.

Hobbes' most famouse work is Leviathan, which on its surface argues for a sovereign with absolute power. However, at the time it was a revolutionary idea that the king existed for the benefit of the people, and not because of divine right. Leviathan became the foundation that later philosophers such as Locke and Rousseau built their work on. It was also inspirational for the writers of the American Declaration of Independence.