Summary:

Leviathan or The Matter, Forme and Power of a Common Wealth Ecclesiasticall and Civil is a book written by Thomas Hobbes and published in 1651. Its name derives from the biblical Leviathan. The work concerns the structure of society and legitimate government, and is regarded as one of the earliest and most influential examples of social contract theory. Written during the English Civil War (1642–1651), Leviathan argues for a social contract and rule by an absolute sovereign.