social contract theory (short version)

8/6/2019 Social Contract Theory (Short Version)

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Social Contract Theory


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Social Contract Theory

Very important idea

Helps explain why we need governments

Helps explain the foundations ofdemocracies


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Remember:


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Question:

Why do we needpolice officers?


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1. To enforce the rules.

2. To allow us to trust that

others won't take advantage ofour cooperation.


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What would life be like

without police officers,judges, teachers,

principals, soldiers, etc?

Starting point for SocialContract theories.


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Thomas Hobbes (1588 -

1679)

Presented an idea

about what life would

be like before

government and social

institutions.


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Hobbes' State of Nature:

People:

-rational

-have equal maximal

liberty - (sovereign overthemselves)

-are selfish

-have right to takewhatever they can, by

any means

-can steal and kill to get

stuff / survive

Environment:

-no institutions (schools,

hospitals, religions,

governments, police,

military, economic,

welfare, etc.

-no limits on behaviour

- scarce resources


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Hobbes:

they (people) are in thatcondition which is called war; and

such a war as is of every managainst every man

solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and

short.


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State of Nature

Individuals compete over scarce resources.

Individuals fight to have or take resources.

The stronger or smarter can hurt, kill, or trickothers and take their property. They can forceothers to do what they want.

But then someone stronger can come along anddo the same thing to them.

No one is safe for long.


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Escape?

How can people escape from the state of nature?

Maybe they can make a contract?!

E.g. I wont take your things, and you wont take

mine.

Problem?


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The Prisoners Dilemma!

Remember that people in these situations are

pressured to cheat their partner.

The state of nature is FULL of prisonersdilemma situations!

So how can we solve this problem?


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A Sovereign!

Rational people, who want to live without fearof stronger people, agree to create asovereign!

Sovereign means having all the power.

So people create a king with lots of power torule over them and make sure people followthe rules!


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Now people can cooperate in society happily,

knowing that any cheaters / free riders will be

punished.

They can build social institutions without fear

that their work will be stolen or destroyed.

e.g. markets, schools, hospitals, etc.


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Social contract is between the sovereign and

the people.

It involves give and take.

People give up some rights (like the right to

use force), and take the guarantee of safety,

order, and security.


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Sovereign has the right to use force. He/she

can hurt or kill people in order to enforce

contracts and social rules.


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Hobbes was a

very smart man,but no one is

perfect.

Can you see a

flaw (problem)

in his theory?


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Hint:


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Bad Sovereign!

If the sovereign is bad, we have a problem!

Hobbes requires a VERY STRONG sovereign, soif they turn bad, the people are in BIG

TROUBLE!


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Enter Locke:

John Locke

(1632 - 1704)


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Lockes State of Nature:

-People get along

-People cooperate

-People generally obey

rules in the state of

nature

But not perfect. Strong

can still break the rules,

take property and life.

In the state of nature,

there's no one to stopthem!


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So government, but.

People ENTRUST rightsto the government, butdon't give them up

100%.

Contract betweengovernment and people

is ONLY valid if thegovernment keeps itsside.


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If the government doesn't behave properly,

then the people have the right to resist;

If necessary, people have the right to remove

the government, and put a new one in its

place.


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Locke also believed:

- People are sovereign

- Gov't is our servant

Therefore: Public Service


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Government shouldnt be too strong:

Using division of powers:

-Legislative

-Judiciary

-Administrative

No piece can cheat alone, others can fix theproblem.


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After Hobbes and Locke:

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

(1712-1778)

Enlightenment period

(18th century)


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He lived in the Enlightenment period (18th

century), or the Age ofReason.

Many believed that using reason civilization

would continue to progress and improve

peoples lives.

He disagreed.


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Rousseaus State of Nature

He thought people lived peacefully, simply,

honestly, and naively.

And that civilization and progress were

moving us away from our peaceful and EQUAL

life.


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Therefore we should try to "return to the state

of nature" by creating social structures that

mirror it.


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What should replace the sovereign?

What should rule over the people?

R. thought the General Will of the peoplecould.

General Will is the beliefs and desires of thepeople. This is embodied in the LAW.


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Many Imp. Democratic ideas!

-right to rebel

-sovereignty of the people -gov't as servant of the people

-division of powers -rule of law

social contract theory (short version)

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