According to Thomas Hobbes, what is the purpose of government control over its citizens?

According to Thomas Hobbes, the purpose of government control over its citizens is to maintain order and prevent chaos. Hobbes believed that in a state of nature, without a governing authority, human life would be "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short" due to the inherent selfishness and competitiveness of individuals. Therefore, he argued that a strong, centralized authority is necessary to impose laws and regulations that ensure peace and security, thereby protecting people from their own worst instincts and creating a stable society. This concept is central to his social contract theory, where individuals consent to surrender some of their freedoms to a sovereign in exchange for protection and the benefits of a structured society.