Thomas Hobbes, whose thinking was shaped by the European confessional and civil wars of the 17th century, represents a paradigm shift within political philosophy. Since Plato and Aristotle, this philosophy had been based on the opposition between just and unjust communities. However, Hobbes invented a new opposition for his time: that of anarchy and authority. Chaos and war were to be banished through the establishment of an absolute sovereign. In this way, Hobbes paved the way for a new form of government. Herfried Münkler's well-known introduction to the philosophy of Thomas Hobbes is now available in an updated edition.