The social contract theory claims that collectively enforced social arrangements have normative properties. The agreement of people subject to those arrangements shows that they are normative. The theory is objectionable in many ways, but it is useful in analyzing how political and economic power is distributed. It is comprised of five elements:
Enduring Relevance of the Social Contract Theory
The theory is most commonly associated with Jean-Jacques Rousseau, a French philosopher. The ideas of Rousseau influenced the socialist movement and the 1789 French Revolution. In his book Confessions, he also gave much attention to individual and subjective questions. Unlike other theories, the social contract theory is based on the principle of popular sovereignty. It is also based on the principle of mutual consent. This theory is an important aspect of modern politics and should not be dismissed out of hand.
This theory assumes that the relationship between the state and citizens is a consensual exchange of power. Since individuals must give the state power freely, it follows that the government has obligations towards its citizens. As such, it is essential to have a social contract in a democracy. Under the social contract, the government serves the citizens’ will and is therefore bound by its laws and mores. It is a fundamental part of political philosophy and is often used to define democratic government.
Hobbes’s Social Contract Theory
Hobbes’s work is considered a classic example of social contract theory. He believed that a society must have a strong government in order to prevent its people from reverting to a state of nature. He also believed that a strong government was necessary to maintain order in society, and that a subject must obey the will of his sovereign. This theory was well-received by many of the Founders, but there are a number of significant differences between his ideas and ours.
Social Contract
Rousseau’s book, The Social Contract, outlines a different version of social contract theory, establishing the foundations of political rights based on unlimited popular sovereignty. He claimed that government could achieve liberty by granting the people direct rule and that this power was inseparable from lawmaking. He also argued that for such a society to be truly perfect, customs and values had to be changed. But these differences between philosophies are only a small part of the social contract theory.
Unveiling the Gender Bias
Despite the advantages of social contract theory, it has its flaws. Critics of this theory have argued that it has a number of problems. For example, it is a gendered idea that ignores women’s positions and undermines the ideal of equality. It also implicitly assumes that males are the dominant species in society. This means that women and children are subordinated to men. And the social contract theory is unable to explain why women and children have fewer rights and responsibilities than men.
The criticisms of contractarian approaches have continued to reverberate throughout the history of social and political philosophy. The critique by Carole Pateman has had a profound impact on the work of philosophers outside of the feminist tradition. Another critique, based on historical context, comes from Charles Mills’ book, “The Social Contract: The Origins of a Liberal Individual”