Multiple choice The first modern philosopher to articulate a detailed contract theory is John Locke Jean-Jaques Rousseau John Rawls Thomas Hobbes Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself D Correct answer Explanation Thomas Hobbes is considered the first modern social contract theorist. In 'Leviathan' (1651), he articulated a detailed theory of how individuals in a state of nature agree to a contract to create a sovereign power for the sake of security.