Difference between revisions of "Social contract"
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
(add Locke to See Also) |
|||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
A '''social contract''' is an implied agreement between people and their [[government]], whereby the people give up some rights to government in exchange for protection. The concept of the social contract was proposed during the [[Enlightenment]], and became influential in political conflicts such as the [[French Revolution]]. | A '''social contract''' is an implied agreement between people and their [[government]], whereby the people give up some rights to government in exchange for protection. The concept of the social contract was proposed during the [[Enlightenment]], and became influential in political conflicts such as the [[French Revolution]]. | ||
| − | This concept was used by the [[ | + | This concept was used by the [[Founding Fathers]] of the [[United States]] to declare that the ruler (the [[king]]) had broken the "contract" and therefore independence was justified. |
==See Also== | ==See Also== | ||
*[[Thomas Hobbes]] | *[[Thomas Hobbes]] | ||
*[[John Locke]] | *[[John Locke]] | ||
| + | *[[Jean Jacques Rousseau]] | ||
[[Category:Philosophy]] | [[Category:Philosophy]] | ||
Revision as of 02:38, January 25, 2010
A social contract is an implied agreement between people and their government, whereby the people give up some rights to government in exchange for protection. The concept of the social contract was proposed during the Enlightenment, and became influential in political conflicts such as the French Revolution.
This concept was used by the Founding Fathers of the United States to declare that the ruler (the king) had broken the "contract" and therefore independence was justified.