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This article aims to examine the arguments formulated by Hobbes prior to the consolidation of the theory of authorization and representation in Leviathan, which contributed to its systematic development. To this end, it proposes a comparative analysis of The Elements of Law and De Cive in order to identify the preliminary foundations of the theory of representation and authorization that would later be developed more robustly in Leviathan. It is argued that, in these works, Hobbes anticipates important discussions of representation and authorization later articulated in Leviathan, although he does not explore their implications in depth, particularly with regard to the articulation between consent and sovereignty within a formal theory of representation.
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Delmo Mattos (2026) studied this question.
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