Final answer:
Thomas Hobbes viewed the state of nature as a war-like state due to lack of a common power to maintain peace, leading to the formation of a social contract with absolute monarchical power for societal stability.
Step-by-step explanation:
Thomas Hobbes argued that the state of nature is a state of war because men live without a common power to keep them all in awe. Hobbes believed that in the absence of a political authority, there is constant competition for limited resources necessary for survival, which leads to a fear of one another. This fear and competition drive humans to a state of perpetual war, a situation he saw as 'solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.' Hobbes advocated for a social contract in which people give up their natural rights and confer absolute power to a sovereign, particularly a monarch, to achieve peace, stability, and order. He preferred monarchy over other forms of government because he thought absolute authority was vital to prevent anarchy and ensure effective governance.