Social Contract Theory Thomas Hobbes - 2009 Words

Social contract theory, nearly as old as philosophy itself, is the view that person s moral and/or political obligations are dependent upon a contract or agreement among them to form the society in which they live. The Social Contract is largely associated with modern moral and political theory, and is given its first full exposition and defense by Thomas Hobbes in his piece, Leviathan. After Hobbes, John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau are the best known proponents of this influential theory, though each have their own unique take on governance, State of Nature, and human existence itself; Hobbes and Rousseau’s arguments are the most compelling out of the trio. Hobbes political philosophy is best understood in two parts: his†¦show more content†¦By this reasoning, Hobbes concludes that people are too distracted and misled by our own needs to see what is best for our state, therefore we must serve as subjects, rather than constituents. That being said, government, or as he calls it, the Sovereign, is to be distanced from the people for they are too irresponsible and illogical to partake in their own governing, therefore the government is designed to control, not represent. And despite living through the English Revolution, Hobbes also rejects the early democratic view, taken up by the Parliamentarians of his time. The English political revolutionaries of the time believed that power ought to be shared between Parliament and the King, much to the repugnance of Hobbes. By rejecting this ideology, Hobbes maintains his image of a radical conservative for his time. The plight of the common man is, however, not hopeless. Because men are reasonable, they can see their way out of such a state by recognizing the lex naturalis, or Laws of Nature, which provide them the means to escape the State of Nature and enter a civil society. The first, and arguably most important, Law of Nature commands that every man must be willing to pursue peace when others are willing to doShow MoreRelatedThomas Hobbes And The Social Contract Theory1088 Words   |  5 PagesConstitution has been kept the same. The Leviathan, Two Treatises, and the Declaration of Independence serve as underpinnings of the Constitution to keep and protect our freedoms. Thomas Hobbes wrote the Leviathan in the early 1640 s. Hobbes Leviathan played a part of social contract theory. The social contract theory is a voluntary agreement among individuals that which organized society is brought it into being and invested with the right to secure a mutual protection and welfare to regulate theRead MoreEssay on Thomas Hobbes and the Social Theory Contract597 Words   |  3 PagesPhilosopher, Thomas Hobbes and the Social Theory Contract for a clear understanding of the issues. The Social Contract Theory is the basis for the Declaration of Independence and the guiding theories for the Unite States Government as well as many other governments, such as the European Union, England and France, to name a few. The theory is about why people choose to give us some of their rights and powers in order to form a government. That government has a series of purposes. Thomas Hobbes theorizedRead MoreEssay on Thomas Hobbes Social Contract Theory982 Words   |  4 PagesIn Leviathan, Thomas Hobbes lays out the hypothetical principal of the state of nature, where human it-self is artificial. It is human nature that people will not be able to love permanently, everyone against everyone power between the strongest. In this nation-state you must be the strongest in order to survive (survival of the fittest). In order to survive there are laws we must follow, to insure of our security because of fear. We were able to suppress our fear, by creating order, to have moreRead MoreThomas Hobbes Social Contract Theory Essay895 Words   |  4 PagesThomas Hobbes creates a clear idea of the social contract theory in which the social contract is a collective agreement where everyone in the state of nature comes together and sacrifices all their liberty in return to security. â€Å"In return, the State promises to exercise its absolute power to maintain a state of peace (by punishing deviants, etc.)† So are the power and the ability of the state making people obey to the laws or is there a wider context to this? I am going to look at the differentRead MorePolitical And Social Contract Theory By Thomas Hobbes951 Words   |  4 PagesSocial contract theory refers to the view that peoples’ political and moral obligations are contingent on an agreement or contact among them to constitute a wholesome society where they can live in harmony. It is often associated with contemporary political and moral theory and was given the first comprehensive exposition by Thomas Hobbes. Hobbes was fearful of man’s violent and lawless nature, perhaps due to his experience during the Puritan revolution. He was of the conviction that self-preservationRead MoreThe Social Contract Theories Of Thomas Hobbes And John Locke1210 Words   |  5 PagesMahogany Mills Professor: Dr. Arnold Political Philosophy 4 February 2015 Compare and contrast the social contract theories of Thomas Hobbes and John Locke In the beginning of time, there was no government to regulate man. This caused a burden on society and these hardships had to be conquered, which is when a social contract was developed. The social contract theory is a model that addresses the questions of the origin of society and the legitimacy of the authority of the state over an individualRead MoreThomas Hobbes And John Locke s Theory Of Social Contract Theory1449 Words   |  6 PagesIn this essay, I argue contemporary social contract theory extends itself beyond politics and into philosophy, religion, and literature. I begin by defining social contract theory and explaining the different perspectives of English philosophers, Thomas Hobbes and John Locke. From there, I will introduce Dostoyevsky’s work, Grand Inquisitor, and conduct an analysis of the relationships between the Grand Inquisitor and his subjects as well as Jesus and his followers. Using textual evidence and uncontroversialRead MoreThomas Hobbes and John L ockes Varying Presentations of the Social Contract Theory1499 Words   |  6 PagesBoth Thomas Hobbes and John Locke are well-known political philosophers and social contract theorists. Social Contract Theory is, â€Å"the hypothesis that one’s moral obligations are dependent upon an implicit agreement between individuals to form a society.† (IEP, Friend). Both Hobbes and Locke are primarily known for their works concerning political philosophy, namely Hobbes’ Leviathan and Locke’s Two Treatise of Government. Both works contain a different view of a State of Nature and lay out socialRead More Force, Morality and Rights in Thomas Hobbes and John Lockes Social Contract Theories1632 Words   |  7 Pagesand Rights in Thomas Hobbes and John Lockes Social Contract Theories Throughout history, the effects of the unequal distribution of power and justice within societies have become apparent through the failure of governments, resulting in the creation of theories regarding ways to balance the amount of power given and the way in which justice is enforced. Due to this need for change, Thomas Hobbes and John Locke created two separate theories in which the concept of a social contract is used to determineRead MoreThe Social Contract Theory Essay1249 Words   |  5 Pages1a. The Social 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 elaborate