What Enlightenment philosopher believed the state must have central authority to manage behavior?

The Enlightenment philosopher who believed that the state must have a central authority to manage behavior was Thomas Hobbes. In his influential work, "Leviathan" (1651), Hobbes argued that in the absence of a strong, centralized authority, human life would be "nasty, brutish, and short." He proposed that individuals consent to surrender some of their freedoms to a sovereign power in exchange for security and order. This social contract philosophy underscores the necessity of a powerful governing body to maintain peace and prevent chaos within society. Hobbes’ ideas laid the groundwork for later political theories concerning state and authority, influencing the development of modern political thought.