The Theory Of Social Contract - 1709 Words

Contractualism, in general, is whether or not an action is deemed ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ can be understood in terms of contracts, and is furthered with the theory of social contract. Additionally, contractualism can be distinguished from Hobbesian contractualism (also known as contractarianism) and Kantian contractualism, whereby the former looks to contracts made by individuals of a society for the sake of personal gain and benefit, while the latter sees to contracts made by individuals of any given society that consider each other and themselves to be free and equal members of State. The theory of the social contract has existed for the longest time, it speaks of an agreement (or agreements) made by the members of any society and community to give up certain individual freedoms for the betterment of that society itself, i.e state protection and security. Firstly in history, power was to reside in the country’s monarch, as it was divinely ordained. Over time, however, there was a need for more justification for where power over the state laid other than just simply being ‘divinely granted or ordained’. Thus, during the Sià ¨cle des Lumià ¨res, England - a country that has for the longest time had a monarch in power (admittedly of which the very same monarch still exists today) entered great political, administrative and constitutional change where England was entering a transformation becoming a modern State. It was during the Sià ¨cle des Lumià ¨res that the idea of socialShow MoreRelatedThe Social Contract Theory1357 Words   |  5 PagesThe social contract theory is the belief that people live in a society with an unwritten and socially accepted contract for a relationship between the people and their government. The people follow certain rules to protect themselves from violence and the like. The governme nt in turn enforces those rules. In the absence of a social contract, the state of nature exists which citizens actions are governed by personal morals and beliefs. In any social contract people vest their rights to the authorityRead MoreThe Theories Of The Social Contract Theory1008 Words   |  5 Pagesapposite at this juncture to define what social contract connotes. Social contract is the voluntary agreement among individuals by which, according to any of various theories, as of Hobbes, Locke, or Rousseau, organized society is brought into being and invested with the right to secure mutual protection and welfare or to regulate the relations among its members. The social contract theory or model was originated during the age of enlightment. Social contract arguments typically posit that individualsRead MoreThe Theory Of Social Contract Theory2326 Words   |  10 Pages Social Contract Brian Horvath Cleveland State University Business Society Government The concept of social contract theory is that in the beginning man lived in the state of nature. They had no government and there was now law to regulate them. There are three main philosophers Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau that are best known for the social contract theory. In the twentieth century moral and political theory with John Rawls’ Kantian version of social contractRead MoreThe Theory Of The Social Contract Theory Essay2038 Words   |  9 PagesOn the formation of the Social Contract Theory has a long history, many people have formed Social Contract Theory has made a great contribution. Thomas Hobbes as one of the representatives of Modern Social Contract Theory, his departure from the theory of human nature, to a fictional state of nature as a starting point, put forward the basic principles of natural law, natural rights, and then through the Social Contract Theory, the establishment of his country theory. Thomas Hobbes certain extentRead MoreThe Theory Of Social Contract1832 Words   |  8 PagesStage 5 from level 3 was called â€Å"social contract† stage. Advocates reckoned that law did not take this kind of situation into account and objector argued that stealing was the wrong approach to do anything no matter how serious the situation was. By this time, people would start abstract philosophic thinking that laws and regulations were all composed by humans and it was a social contract. They valued the force of law and agreed that laws could help people maintain justice. However, at the sameRead MoreUtilitarianism And Social Contract Theory1476 Words   |  6 PagesMichelle VanDeren Moral and Political Philosophy June 11, 2016 Reflection Paper Utilitarianism and Social Contract Theory Part I: Utilitarianism in the Work Place While managing a law firm over the past 13 years one of the most consistent issues to deal with is office attire. We have hired numerous employees ranging from 20-30 years of age whose attire did not project a professional appearance. Some of the employees often wore jeans or shirts that clearly showed their tattoos or were too revealingRead MoreConceptions of the Social Contract Theory924 Words   |  4 Pagesown version of the social contract theory. The social contract theory is a treaty or an agreement that developed a set of laws, organized a functional society, and created the need to be governed. It was put into place when man realized that there was no law. Mankind eventually sought the desire for security and order. To receive security and order people shall voluntarily give up all their rights and freedoms and be obedient to some sort of authority. The social contract theory is made up of twoRead MoreThe Social Contract Theory Essay1249 Words   |  5 Pages1a. The Socia l Contract Theory According to the Social Contract Theory, it suggests that all individuals must depend on an agreement/ or contract among each person to form a society, in which they live in. The concept emphasizes authority over individuals, in other words, the social contract favors authority (e.g. the Sovereign) over the individuals, because men have to forfeit their personal right and freedom to the government, in exchange for protection and security, which I will further elaborateRead MoreWeaknesses Of Social Contract Theory928 Words   |  4 PagesSocial Contract theory is the idea that in the beginning people lived in the state of nature with no government and laws to regulate them. In order to overcome the issues involved in the state of nature, people entered into agreements to protect themselves and their properties. They did this by uniting, rescinding certain rights under the state of nature, and pledging themselves to an authority that will guarantee certain protections. They all agr ee to live together under those laws and create aRead MoreJacques And The Social Contract Theory1287 Words   |  6 Pagessupporter of the social contract theory, which is considered by him as the source of states legitimacy, criticises social inequality, authoritarianism and feudalism. As an important social contract theorist, he also elaborates that people are the creators of law as well as the subject of law and because they will provide themselves with the laws they wish to live by, the people s sovereignty is assured by the societies contract that is created (Bertram, 2010). In his writings The Social Contract or Principles