"臣民对君主的义务被理解为只要并仅在君主有能力保护他们的情况下持续。"
— Thomas Hobbes
Simplified Meaning:
When people follow a leader, they do so because the leader has the ability to keep them safe and provide what they need. As long as the leader can protect and take care of the people, they will support him. But if the leader loses that power or fails to protect them, the people no longer have to follow him. For instance, imagine a town with a mayor who is elected because he promised to fix roads and keep the town safe. The residents trust and support him as long as he does his job well. But if he stops fixing roads and the town becomes unsafe, people will feel he’s no longer doing his duty and may choose to elect someone else. This means that a leader's power and the people’s support depend on the leader's ability to fulfill their role effectively.
