Hobbes lived at a time when many philosophers were thinking about the nature of government. He was one of the first of his era to discuss the idea of a social contract between people and their government. A contract is an agreement in which both sides agree to something in order to reach a shared goal. In Hobbes' view, people agreed to give up some rights and power in exchange for protection. But for Hobbes, the social contract was no two-way street. He believed that once the people agreed to hand over power in exchange for protection, they lost the right to overthrow, replace, or even question government.

Question

What important information should I jot down here?

Answer 1

- Hobbes was one of the first philosophers to discuss the concept of a social contract between people and their government.
- A social contract is an agreement in which both sides agree to something in order to achieve a shared goal.
- According to Hobbes, people agreed to give up some rights and power in exchange for protection from the government.
- Hobbes believed that once people agreed to the social contract, they lost the right to overthrow, replace, or question the government.