In essence, Hobbes considers life in the state of nature as "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short" (Tuck, 1996). Hobbes advises that the only way to attain peace is to construct the "Leviathan" through social contract. He argues that without artificial government there would be anarchy, therefore rational and self-motivated people would want to end that constant state of war. These people then establish basic moral laws to conserve peace and prevent the state of nature from returning.
The foundation of Hobbes's social contract theory is the view that only selfish interests psychologically motivate humans. Hobbes argues that for selfish reasons, people are better off living in a world with moral rules, then without moral rules because without moral rules, we are vulnerable to people's selfish interests. Everything, including our property, families, and lives are at a constant risk. Therefore men would mutually transfer their rights in the form of a contract, which Hobbes claims is the "basis of the notion of moral obligation" (Tuck, 1996). For the sake of self-preservation, people give up their rights if others were willing to do the same. Furthermore, selfishness alone inspires people to accept a fundamental set of rules, which allows for a civilized community. These laws include prohibitions against lying, stealing, as well as killing. However, the rules only provide safety if they are enforced. Hobbes recommends the establishment of a policing agency to punish those that violate the rules. Hobbes warns that in order for our survival we must unite into civil society for mutual protection in an irrevocable transfer of individual powers to the governing agent.
When men decide to end their "nasty, brutish, and short" lives in the state of nature, they enter into an agreement with each other called the "social contract" to establish society, state, and law (Tuck, 1996).
