Leviathan Author:Thomas Hobbes In Leviathan, Hobbes set out his doctrine of the foundation of states and legitimate governments - based on social contract theories. Leviathan was written during the English Civil War; much of the book is occupied with demonstrating the necessity of a strong central authority to avoid the evil of discord and civil war.This edition has an introd... more »uction by Richard Peters, and s edited by Michael Oakeshott.« less