Thomas Hobbes' absolutist ideology, as articulated in 'Leviathan,' is fundamentally rooted in individualism, despite advocating for an all-powerful sovereign. Hobbes begins with the individual in the 'state of nature,' where life is 'solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short' due to inherent self-interest and the pursuit of self-preservation. Individuals are rational actors who, out of fear and a desire for security, voluntarily enter into a social contract. This contract involves surrendering some of their natural liberties to an absolute sovereign. The purpose of this sovereign is not divine right or inherent superiority, but rather to protect the lives and property of individuals, thereby preventing a return to the chaotic state of nature. The sovereign's legitimacy and power are derived from the consent of the governed, albeit a one-time, irrevocable consent. Thus, the entire edifice of Hobbes' state is built upon the individual's desire for self-preservation and security, making individualism the cornerstone of his seemingly authoritarian political philosophy. The state exists to serve the individual's most basic need: survival.