Quote by Thomas Hobbes: “Covenants, without the sword, are but words, and of no strength to secure a man at all.”

This statement emphasizes that agreements, like laws or treaties, are useless without a powerful authority to enforce them. Hobbes believed that fear of punishment is essential for people to uphold their promises and maintain social order, preventing a return to anarchy and conflict.

Written as England grappled with the aftermath of civil war, Hobbes argued for a strong, centralized government. He believed that only an absolute sovereign, symbolized by the 'sword,' could compel obedience and prevent society from fragmenting into civil strife.

English philosopher, considered to be one of the founders of modern political philosophy. Hobbes is best known for his 1651 book Leviathan, in which he expounds an influential formulation of social contract theory.