Why did Thomas Hobbes argue that sovereign power must not be divided?

Thomas Hobbes argued that sovereign power must not be divided because he believed that a unified authority is essential to maintaining peace and preventing the collapse of society into anarchy. Having witnessed the turbulence of the English Civil Wars, Hobbes was acutely aware of the dangers posed by disputed sovereignty.12

His political philosophy, most notably articulated in Leviathan, posits that individuals enter into a social contract to escape the "war of all against all" inherent in the state of nature. To ensure this contract is enforced, individuals must delegate their right of self-government to a sovereign—whether a monarch or a legislature—who possesses the absolute power to punish those who break agreements.132

Hobbes maintained that dividing this power, such as through the separation of government powers or by allowing competing authorities like the church to challenge civil rule, invites conflict and undermines the sovereign's ability to keep the peace. For Hobbes, a supreme, undivided authority is the only effective safeguard against the chaos of civil war.21