Social Contract Theory

Social Contract Theory

Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau

Multiple Choice

Living in a State of Nature means...

• not giving in to consumerism

• not believing in soap, shaving, processed foods...

• living without any type of government

• spending more time in the wilderness than in the city

Social Contract Theory

• No Government = living a "state of nature"

• With Government = Civil Society

Live in a state of nature

• When there is no civil society, humans live in a “state of nature.”

• There is no government, every person is on his own.

• In a “state of nature,” every person has complete freedom to do what he wants.

Life in the state of nature

• A “state of nature” is not lawless. There is a natural law.

• No man may infringe on the rights of others.

• What are the most fundamental rights of human beings?

Hobbes Quote

In a state of nature.... Life is “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short.”

Open Ended

What advantages would there be to living with no government? List at least three

Open Ended

What disadvantages would there be to living without a government? List at least three.

Advantages........................Disadvantages

• Complete  freedom................No protection from aggression from others

• Everyone is equal. ................You are only as safe as you could make yourself.

• Not subject to authority................The weak are preyed upon by the strong.

• ................................................What makes one person happy can be harmful to others.

• ................................................Conflict is the natural result.

• Biggest problem of living in the state of nature: there is no authority to enforce the law of nature. • • Because of this, people want to enter into civil society.

Thomas Hobbes

• Human life is the only thing with value.

• In a state of nature, human life is constantly in danger.

• The only way to ensure survival is government.

• The sole purpose of government is to protect people from the evils that exist in the state of nature.

Hobbes Social Contract

•When people agree to form a government to protect themselves, they give up ALL  of their rights to the authority.

 

• Hobbes preferred monarchy as a form of government.

John Locke Social Contract

• Locke reasoned that humans are free to do whatever they want.

• People realize that they cannot live successfully in a state of nature. • • Cooperation among people is necessary to enjoy life.

• People voluntarily give up some of their individual freedoms and enter into community with other people in order to live a good life. 

John Locke

• People create a social contract – an agreement to grant a limited amount of power to a government in exchange for some of their personal freedom so they can live together peacefully..

• According to Locke, the sole responsibility of government is to protect people’s natural rights.

• Locke believed that the natural rights of humans are life, liberty and property.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau:

• Rousseau’s beliefs are fundamentally the same as Locke’s. • People are dissatisfied with life in a chaotic state of nature. •People are willing to give up some personal freedom in exchange for social order. •The government has authority because the people consent to give it power over their lives.

Rousseau goes further

• Life, liberty and property are only some of the natural rights of humans.

• • The purpose of government is to satisfy the “general will” of the people, which can be much more than just the protection of basic rights.

The “general will”

•The government’s duty is to carry out the “general will” of the people.

• The “general will” includes life, liberty and property and much more.

•

General will

In some circumstances the “general will” may require that basic rights be sacrificed.

Rousseau goes further....

• Rousseau believed that man is naturally good and wants to help other members of society.

• He argued that when people help others in society, they actually help themselves as individuals.

• For example, a man may not want to pay taxes but realizes he is better off when he – like everybody else – pays them.

Sound Familiar....

…all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed…

Social Contract: key concepts

•John Locke -> Jefferson -> Declaration of Ind.

•Natural law/natural order

•Natural rights

•Consent of the governed

Multiple Choice

Which of the social contract philosophers is the Declaration of Independence most closely aligned to?

• Hobbes

• Locke

• Rousseau

Multiple Choice

Which Social Contract philosopher said that human life would be nasty short and brutish if we did not have a sovereign (preferably a king) to govern over us

• Hobbes

• Locke

• Rousseau

Multiple Choice

In which form of social contract do you see the conflict of what is meant by "general will"

• Hobbes

• Locke

• Rousseau

Open Ended

In 3-5 sentences, explain how you could apply the social contract theory to your current debate topic.