Preview

The Function of a Social Contract

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1663 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The Function of a Social Contract
What is the Function of a Social Contract?
Philosophers have been concerned with the theories of a social contract for thousands of years. Plato mentions the concept in Crito and in Republic. These theories have stemmed from the concept of justice and for our society to be just. I will look at the works of Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Jean Jacques Rousseau and finally with John Rawls after which a overall view into the function of a social contract can be derived as well as any problems with the theory(s).

The basic concept of a social contract is for members of society to enter into a voluntary contract, which allows society to go from a state of nature to a state of civilisation. What is meant by a state of nature is quite similar to how the rest of the animal kingdom works. A person¡¦s security depends on his or her own personal power. The fittest survive and the weakest suffer. Every person is concerned with his or her own ends.

Plato outlined two types of contract within society. These were the contract of citizenship and the contract of community. The contract of citizenship was tackled in Crito. He regarded it as a contract made by each individual citizen with the state or law. If a man is to remain in a political society he will have to accept its obligations for he has enjoyed it privileges and benefits.
The contract of community was covered in Republic Book II. This theory is based on the assumption the man is an egoist. With this assumption of ¡¥every man for himself¡¦ it is likely that he would either cause harm to others or sustain harm from others and therefore there would be a need to combat this.

Thomas Hobbes published his work, the leviathan, which included theories of a social contract. His view is very similar to Plato¡¦s in regards to contract of community. He felt that there was a need for members of a society to Curtail the war of all against all and without these theories this war would spiral out of control with everyone competing



Bibliography: ƒæ Leviathan; Thomas Hobbes edited by Richard Tuck; 1991; Cambridge University Press ƒæ Rousseau¡¦s Political Philosophy; Ramon M Lemos; 1977; University of Georgia Press ƒæ The Second Treatise of Government; John Locke edited by Thomas P Peardon; 1952; Bobbs and Merrill company inc. ƒæ Problems of Political Philosophy revised edition; DD Raphael; 1976; Macmillan Press ltd. ƒæ The Social Contract and Discourses; Jean Jacques Rousseau translated by GDH Cole; 1973; JM Dent and Sons ltd. ƒæ The Social Contract or Principles of Political Right second edition revised; Jean Jacques Rousseau translated by Henry J Tozer; 1898; Swan Sonnenschein and Co.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Powerful Essays

    The Social Contract Theory

    • 1902 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Todays media and entertainment have recently been flooded with movies and TV shows based on a post apocalyptic world where the world has fallen into disarray and it has become every man for themselves. While there have been many terrible crimes against humanity our world hasn’t submitted to dissolution and in large part we have remained united. The reason the world hasn’t fallen back into such a primitive state is because of the social contract theory; the social contract theory is a theory about creating rules for humanity. Due to the social contract theory people had to change the way they thought and made decisions and these personal decisions eventually had a ripple effect on the larger community. Unlike theories in physical science, social…

    • 1902 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    The social contract or political contract is a theory or model, originating during the Age of Enlightenment, that typically addresses the questions of the origin of society and the legitimacy of the authority of the state over the individual. Social contract arguments typically posit that individuals have consented, either explicitly or tacitly, to surrender some of their freedoms and submit to the authority of the ruler or magistrate (or to the decision of a majority), in exchange for protection of their remaining rights. The question of the relation between natural and legal rights, therefore, is often an aspect of social contract theory.The most important contemporary political social contract theorist is John Rawls, who effectively resurrected social contract theory in the second half of the 20th century, along with David Gauthier, who is primarily a moral contractarian.…

    • 606 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Outline Hobbes' theory on the social contract giving details on what he believed was needed to maintain it.…

    • 1405 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The idea of the necessity for a Social Contract is one which has been explored by countless philosophers, all of whom have varied ideas on why and how a social contract may come about. Within the Following essay i shall be exploring John Locke’s ideas on why humanity needs to enter a social contract and how this is gone about.…

    • 1693 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Jean Jacques Rousseau led a turbulent life. His mother died at his birth and his father deserted him shortly thereafter. Running from one set of friends to another as a young man he did settle long enough to do some serious writing from time to time. The Social Contract is considered one of his best works. This essay describes the relationship of man with society. Contrary to his earlier work, Rousseau claimed that the state of nature is "brutish condition without law or morality, and that there are good men only a result of society 's presence. In the state of nature, man is prone to be in frequent competition with his fellow men. Because he can be more successful facing threats by joining with other men, he has the impetus to do so. He joins together with his fellow men to form the collective human…

    • 3724 Words
    • 15 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    We need to come together and demonstrate Rousseau’s, Social Contract. Rousseau believes we need to stop making decisions based on our own needs and think about…

    • 600 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Jean Jacques Rousseau was a French rationalist who gave another elucidation to the hypothesis of Social Contract in his work "The Social Contract" and " Emile". As per him, social contract is not a chronicled truth but rather a theoretical development of reason. Preceding the Social Contract, the life in the Condition of Nature was glad and there was equity among men. As time passed, on the other hand, humankind confronted certain progressions. As the general populace expanded, the methods by which individuals could fulfill their needs needed to change. Individuals gradually started to live respectively in little families, and afterward in little groups. Divisions of work were presented, both inside and in the middle of…

    • 848 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Rousseau Equality

    • 315 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Rousseau, your claims on the state of nature are questionable. You first claim that people equal in nature and thus are in a better state in nature. Yet, you then state that nature makes people more physically apt and that only the strong can survive. This would imply that a form of inequality, a natural prejudice would form against those not physically capable. Thus, you contradict yourself by stating that nature is equal and then imply a form of inequality in nature. In addition, it is important to raise the question: why do we even need a social contract in the first place? At some point in time in order for mankind to survive, they have to enter into a civilization. In order to for people to retain their natural equality, according to you,…

    • 315 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Social contract theory nearly as old as philosophy itself is the view that person’s moral or political obligations are dependent upon a contract agreement between them to form a society. In classical political thought, Socrates used something similar to social contract postulations to explain his reason for remaining in prison to accept the penalty of death even though escape was possible (encyclopedia of philosophy). Though examples can be drawn from the past, social contract theory is rightly associated with modern moral and political theory and the credit of its exposition bestowed upon Thomas Hobbes, after him John Locke and Jean Jacques Rousseau. We will also be looking at the concept of the state of nature.…

    • 5895 Words
    • 24 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Yet, I think it is important to note that Hobbes had the success of the nation and its overall well being in mind. The theory was essentially a self-check on citizens, who were expected to act in a way that made social living possible. In the event that everyone held up their end of the deal, society would be able to enjoy the benefits of social living: education, medicine, and much more. This scenario does not come without its costs though, because the ‘social-contract’ is not binding whatsoever. One critic said, the social contract “isn’t worth the paper it’s not written on.” These beliefs are held by many whom actively reap the benefits of society, otherwise known as the problem of the ‘free rider.’ This issue poses a problem for the social contract theorist because not only are they actively working to stabilize social living, they are also providing for those who do not work. Like stated previously, this problem may stem from people not treating others equally. It is expected that you behave the law if you part take in the benefits; however, there is not a law in place that prohibits hurting other people’s feelings. Therefore, while critics may be upset at the failure to recognize non-rational agents presence, the social contract theorist can only advise those with concerns to keep their pledge to their state,…

    • 1049 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Jean-Jacques Rouseauu

    • 1206 Words
    • 4 Pages

    "Rousseau 's The Social Contract." Rousseau 's The Social Contract. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Apr. 2014. .…

    • 1206 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    However, compared to the national civil and criminal laws, it outmatches them because they overlook some other important elements of human’s responsibilities. Those legislations operate more like the bottom line, but social contract theory requires people to do more for the healthy development of society. In Hobbes’s argument, he gives out the definition of the social contract:…

    • 1047 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Essay Sample

    • 669 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Similarly, it is difficult for legislations to govern human nature. It is for this reason that legislations are also accompanied by penalties to set an example so that such violations can be curbed. Because man is a social animal, Rousseau states that it is important to have a social contract with another human being. This would help govern each other’s…

    • 669 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Thomas Hobbes- Was the first to theorize how the social contract came about. One to stand up against the divine law. He wrote that in the “state of nature” no government existed.…

    • 576 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The social contract is an agreement among the members of an organized society or between the governed and the government defining and limiting the rights and duties of each. In the theories of Locke, Hobbes, Rousseau, an agreement, entered into by individuals, that results in the formation of the state or of organized society, the prime motive being the desire for protection and welfare, which entails the surrender of some or all personal liberties.…

    • 1109 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays