Thomas Hobbes, in his work 'Leviathan', argued that the sovereign's authority is established through a social contract where individuals transfer their rights to a central power. While this is often associated with absolute monarchy, Hobbes introduced the idea that the legitimacy of the state originates from the collective agreement of the people, a foundational shift in political theory that paved the way for modern liberal democratic discourse.

Thomas Hobbes was born on April 5, 1588, and passed away on December 4, 1679. By calculating the difference between these dates, it is established that he was 91 years old when he died. His long life allowed him to witness significant political upheaval in England, which deeply informed his pessimistic view of human nature and his advocacy for a strong, centralized sovereign.

Hobbes utilizes the 'State of Nature' as a logical, hypothetical construct rather than a historical reality. By imagining human life without a common power to keep them in awe, he illustrates the necessity of an absolute sovereign to prevent the 'war of all against all' and ensure civil order and security.

In Hobbes's 'Leviathan,' the sovereign is the product of the contract but is not a party to it. The subjects surrender their rights to the sovereign, who remains absolute and unbound by the contract, as the sovereign's authority is the only thing preventing a return to the state of nature.

Thomas Hobbes, in his seminal work 'Leviathan', provided the first systematic defense of absolute sovereignty. He argued that the sovereign must possess supreme, indivisible, and final authority to create and enforce laws, thereby establishing the foundation for the modern concept of legal sovereignty, where the state is the ultimate source of all law.

Absolutist political thought, such as that found in Hobbesian theory, posits that the state is essential for human development. By providing security and order, the state creates the environment necessary for individuals to pursue their interests and flourish. Without the overarching authority of the state, life would be 'nasty, brutish, and short,' making individual development impossible in a state of nature.

In 'Leviathan', Thomas Hobbes describes the state of nature as a condition of perpetual war of all against all. Without a common power to keep them in awe, human life is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short. This pessimistic view of human nature serves as the foundation for his argument that individuals must surrender their rights to an absolute sovereign to ensure security and order.

Thomas Hobbes, in his seminal work 'Leviathan', articulated this view of human nature to justify the necessity of an absolute sovereign. He argued that because humans are driven by an insatiable, competitive desire for power and security, a strong central authority is required to prevent the 'war of all against all.' This pessimistic view of human nature remains a cornerstone of his political theory.

In Hobbes's state of nature, human equality in terms of physical and mental capacity leads to mutual distrust. Because resources are scarce, individuals must compete for survival. Hobbes argues that if one were to act altruistically, they would be vulnerable to those who do not, making conflict an inevitable consequence of human nature and the lack of a common power to keep them in awe.

Hobbes argues that the social contract is irrevocable. Once individuals have transferred their power to the sovereign, they cannot reclaim it or dissolve the government. The contract is a permanent commitment to a central authority, as the alternative is the constant threat of violent death in the state of nature. The sovereign's power is thus perpetual and not subject to the whims of the populace.