Social Social Contract Contract TheoryTheory

The ideas behind the Declaration The ideas behind the Declaration of Independence and the of Independence and the

American RevolutionAmerican Revolution

Journal PromptJournal Prompt What would your life be like without What would your life be like without

government?government?– Consider Consider servicesservices the government provides the government provides – freedomsfreedoms government limits government limits– your your safety, health, happiness and propertysafety, health, happiness and property

Would you like to live without government? Would you like to live without government? Why or why not?Why or why not?

Social Contract Theory is aboutSocial Contract Theory is about

1. Why people theoretically 1. Why people theoretically choose to give up some of choose to give up some of their power in order to form their power in order to form a governmenta government

2. The purpose of 2. The purpose of governmentgovernment

Who are the main social Who are the main social contract theorists?contract theorists?

Rousseau,Thomas Hobbes, & Rousseau,Thomas Hobbes, & John Locke wrote about social John Locke wrote about social contract theory in 1600s & contract theory in 1600s & 1700s. 1700s.

John Locke’s John Locke’s ideas are the ideas are the foundation of foundation of the the Declaration of Declaration of IndependenceIndependence

The Second Treatise on The Second Treatise on GovernmentGovernment by by John LockeJohn Locke

Written 1679-83Written 1679-83

124-page PERSUASIVE ESSAY.

Why did he write it?

Purpose of Locke’s Purpose of Locke’s Second Treatise on Second Treatise on GovernmentGovernment

To explain the To explain the role or purposes of gov’trole or purposes of gov’t Justify resistingJustify resisting the power of the king the power of the king To To protect property rightsprotect property rights and increase and increase

Britain’s wealth. (Locke was a big land Britain’s wealth. (Locke was a big land owner)owner)

Social Contract theorists like John Locke based their ideas about government on

a fictitious “state of nature”

What is this state of nature?

What does “the state of What does “the state of nature” mean?nature” mean?

What life is What life is “naturally”“naturally” like before like before people created governmentspeople created governments

Do we really know what this is? No. It Do we really know what this is? No. It is what different philosophers imagine is what different philosophers imagine life would be like without government.life would be like without government.

What do What do you thinkyou think the state of nature, or the state of nature, or life without government would be like?life without government would be like?

According to Locke, in the state According to Locke, in the state of nature everyoneof nature everyone

Is equalIs equal Has libertyHas liberty Follows “natural laws of reasonFollows “natural laws of reason” - ” -

– don’t harm others’ LIFE/HEALTHor don’t harm others’ LIFE/HEALTHor – LIBERTY or LIBERTY or – PROPERTY POSSESSIONSPROPERTY POSSESSIONS– Everyone has to preserve himself and othersEveryone has to preserve himself and others

Has executive powerHas executive power- everybody has the right to - everybody has the right to punish others for breaking these natural lawspunish others for breaking these natural laws

Natural laws of the state of nature: Natural laws of the state of nature: don’t mess with someone’sdon’t mess with someone’s

LifeLife

LibertyLiberty

PropertyProperty

The state of nature The state of nature is dangerous!is dangerous!

If everybody has the right to punish If everybody has the right to punish people who break the natural laws people who break the natural laws then what is life like in the state of then what is life like in the state of nature?nature?

Violent! Chaotic!

Here’s how Here’s how Thomas Hobbes’Thomas Hobbes’ described life in the state of nature, described life in the state of nature,

or life w/o governmentor life w/o government

Life in the state of nature is Life in the state of nature is essential a state of constant essential a state of constant violence, a state of war. It is...violence, a state of war. It is...

“short, nasty, and brutish”

If everyone has executive If everyone has executive power to punish thenpower to punish then

People who are selfish or revengeful or People who are selfish or revengeful or unfair will be extra lenient on their friends unfair will be extra lenient on their friends and hard on people they dislike when and hard on people they dislike when punishing people who break the natural lawspunishing people who break the natural laws

Trade State of Nature for Gov’tTrade State of Nature for Gov’t

State of nature can easily turn into a state of State of nature can easily turn into a state of war, in which nobody’s life, liberty or war, in which nobody’s life, liberty or property is safe. So…property is safe. So…

Give up some liberties to leave the state of Give up some liberties to leave the state of nature and form a civil society, to form a nature and form a civil society, to form a GOVERNMENT.GOVERNMENT.

You give the GOVERNMENT your You give the GOVERNMENT your executive power to punish people who mess executive power to punish people who mess with your life, liberty or property.with your life, liberty or property.

The purpose of government The purpose of government according to John Locke is toaccording to John Locke is to

Protect people’s natural rights

LifeLiberty

Property

Definition of Political PowerDefinition of Political Power

““right of right of making lawsmaking laws and penalties for and penalties for the regulating and the regulating and preserving of preserving of propertyproperty and of employing the force and of employing the force [power] of the community [to enforce [power] of the community [to enforce those laws] and in the those laws] and in the defense of the defense of the common-wealthcommon-wealth from foreign injury; from foreign injury; and all this for the public good.” and all this for the public good.”

(Locke, 8)(Locke, 8)

Forming a Forming a government to government to protect yourself protect yourself

from the from the violence of the violence of the state of nature state of nature

is called...is called...

A social contract

Right to revolutionRight to revolution

According to John Locke, people have a right to rebel or change the government when it no longer protects their LIFE, LIBERTY & PROPERTY.

This what the Founding Fathers used as the reason for declaring independence from England.

Right to revolution…Right to revolution…

“… governments are dissolved from within when they fail to protect, life, liberty and property: contrary to their trust… by this breach of trust they forfeit the power the people had put into their hands for quite contrary ends, and it [the power] devolves [goes back to]the people, who have a right to… provide for their own safety and security, which is the end for which they are in society.”

““The [goal] of government is the The [goal] of government is the good of mankind…. good of mankind….

Which is best for mankind,A) that the people should be exposed to the boundless whim of tyranny?

B) that the rulers should sometimes be opposed, then they grow exorbitant in their use of power and employ it for the destruction, and not the preservation of the properties of their people? …people have a right to … erect a new [form of government]… as they think good.”

Should people revolt immediately or Should people revolt immediately or over little things?over little things?

“Great mistakes in the ruling part, many wrong and inconvenient laws, and all the slips of human frailty, will be born by the people without mutiny or murmur.

But, if a long train of abuses, prevarications [lies] and artifices… make the design visible to the people…. It is not to be wondered that they should then... endeavor to put the rule into such hands which may secure them the the ends for which government was at first erected.”

Compare John Locke’s ideas Compare John Locke’s ideas with the Declaration of with the Declaration of

IndependenceIndependence

Life

Liberty

PropertyPursuit of

Happiness

Long train of abuses

Natural Rights of men

Dissolve government