The Role of Social Contract in Western Political Theory

 

The Role of Social Contract in Western Political Theory






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Introduction 
Social Contract is a political theory that was developed and written between the 17th and 18th century. It was based on some important arguments and they were;
•	The existence of the state was for the main purpose of serving the people in the society.
•	The only source of government power was the people 
•	The people have the freedom to withhold as well as give power of the government
•	The government, individual as well as popular or sovereignty rights were limited in the document bearing the social contract. 
Several renowned personalities in the areas of politics and philosophy were responsible for writing the social contract. They were; James Harrington, Jean Jacques Rousseau, Thomas Hobbes, and John Locke. Social contract or as it is sometimes referred to as the political contract is an intellectual approach designed to elaborate the relationship between individuals in the society and the government (Rousseau, 2004, p. 8). The concept of social contract asserts that people come together to form political societies through a mutual understanding which is governed by a set of norms and rules in order to protect themselves from violence as well as other from harm posed by each other in the society (Huttegger & Smead, 2011, p. 17). 
The theory of Social contract has a significant role during the period when the idea that there was need for getting political authority from the people or the governed.  The absence of a political order in the society led to the emergence of the social contract theory. Over the years, social contract has had significant roles in the 
The main aim for this essay paper is to address the question of what is the role of social contract in western political theory (Huttegger & Smead, 2011, p. 10). The objective of this essay paper is to list each role of a social contract and give an in depth explanation as to how it is a role in relation to the western theory of politics. It will give a brief introduction and understanding of the theory of western politics. 
Role of the Social Contract
The theory of social contract originates from the concept that the society needs just as well as the need for a just people (Huttegger & Smead, 2011, p. 15). With a keen look at the works of Jean Jacques Rousseau, Thomas Hobbes and John Locke this essay paper intends to give a clear perspective on the role of social contract in western political theory. The basic understanding of a social contract is to create a voluntary contract. This contract helps the society to shift from a state of nature to a state of civilization. The term state of nature is similar to the operating of the animal kingdom. It is important to note that the security of a person is very much dependent on the person’s power.
The following are some of the roles of social contract in western political theory;
Inclusiveness of the People 
Social contract strives to provide a society that is inclusive of everybody. According to Thomas Hobbes who argued that political authority requires to be set on the single authority that most people agree on. But with a legitimate government which is a result of a social contract, the chances of human beings getting into a conflict over resources are limited.
Fairness in the Society 
For most Proponents of social contract, majority of the theorists tend to create a framework which very fair unlike the existing societies (Rousseau, 2004, p. 15). A social has the ability to bring fairness in the society as a result of people operating the contract have a goal of working for a society that is free of harm or inequality for all persons. John Rawls argued that the working of a social contract involves a situation where individuals in the society desire to live without negative political, social or economic issues. Therefore there is a need among the people to live in a society where every one is equal to each under a social contract.
The Presence of a Legitimate Government
A social contract enables the people to get a legitimate form of government. The main role of a social contract is to make sure a government could be agreed upon by all citizens to avoid all types of civil wars or tyrannies.
Property Rights of the people 
When it comes to property rights, a social contract has a critical role in ensuring all the people’s property is controlled by the state. But this control is done through the rights of the person who is in direct ownership of the goods or properties and after that person has communicated to the government or the state (Kimmel, Smith & Klein, 2011, p. 14). Ownership of property such as land ahs proved to be very delicate as well as contentious. Therefore, a social contract gives a clear guideline on ownership or transfer of the goods within the community.



Need for Citizen Participation, Not Representation 
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