Understanding Social Contract: Key Philosophers

Social Contract Theories

The justification of the state: contractualism: Social Contract: "According to the agreement among the community to enforce laws and make the state appear." They are the citizens who decide to cede power to an authority and legitimacy. These theories are contractualism. Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau. Two forms of state:

• a) State of nature: Describes Life as it would not exist without the state
• b) Welfare state: People are forced to organize on the basis of an agreement or covenant.

Thomas Hobbes

First to use the term social contract. He understood the state of nature and justification of the rule as follows:

1. a) State of Nature. "Homo homini lupus" Man is a wolf to man, without a state is governed by the law of the jungle. The human being is possessed by his passion, but it is also rational, so and realizes he can not live without guarantees of life, so he decides to leave behind the State of Nature. The human being is bad, it hurts.
2. b) State. He understands there are laws and rules that would improve our living conditions, but we must all obey. So there must be a higher power that makes all obey. Hobbes chooses the monarch as the sole power to ensure order and peace. Authoritarian and absolutist state, despotic.
3. c) Social Contract. Covenant by which citizens give up their power and freedom on behalf of a sovereign, guaranteeing peace, security and survival.

John Locke

Vision more optimistic than Hobbes.

1. a) State of Nature. Men have few freedoms and inalienable rights, prior to any state and no one can take them off.
2. b) State. To that nobody is left without its citizens' rights reached an agreement whereby the State guarantees them. State power is divided so that does not fall on one person and so they can monitor each other. This is the liberal state ---> Western Democracies.
3. c) Social Contract. Implicit contract by which political power is justified if it can guarantee basic human rights. The citizen has certain duties, like checking the rulers and even replaced.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Conception opposite to that of Hobbes. The man is good by nature but it is society that corrupts him.

1. a) State of nature. Man is the noble savage. It identifies this state as a prerequisite to any kind of civilization. He provides their basic needs with what nature provides. EQUALITY.
2. b) State. The state is based on the will by which decisions are made in response to all citizens. The social contract is equal to the people and guarantee their freedom. Social state.
3. c) Social Contract. The state of nature is corrupted by the property ends. Unequal property and to correct men must make a pact among individuals for a state.