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Introduction to Social Contract Theory

Updated: 2 days ago



Introduction

  • Social Contract Theory examines how and why humans accept governmental authority and what makes political power legitimate.

    • This helps us understand the fundamental relationship between citizens and their government - the exchange between individual autonomy and collective security.

  • Thinkers like Hobbes and Locke argue why individuals give power to a government in exchange for protection and security.

  • Weber expands on legitimacy, analysing how the state maintains authority through a monopoly on legitimate violence.

  • The theory explores what makes people willingly submit to rules and restrictions on their behaviour, helping us understand the foundations of political organisation and shaping modern debates on governance and rights.


Key Ideas

 

Hobbes's Dark Vision

  • Thomas Hobbes developed his ideas during the English Civil War, which profoundly influenced his pessimistic view of human nature.

  • Argued that without strong central authority, humans would exist in perpetual conflict.

  • Famously described life in this ‘state of nature’ as ‘solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short’, reflecting his belief that only an absolute sovereign could prevent society from descending into chaos.

  • For Hobbes, individuals willingly give up their freedoms and surrender their rights to an unquestionable authority in exchange for security and order.


Locke's Liberal Alternative

  • Rather than viewing humans as inherently aggressive, Locke saw them as rational beings capable of cooperation.

  • He believed people possess inherent rights to life, liberty, and property that exist independently of government.

  • While he agreed that government was necessary, he saw it as a trustee rather than an absolute ruler.

  • For Locke, government power derived from the people's consent and its primary purpose was protecting their natural rights. If a government failed in this duty, citizens had not only the right but the obligation to replace it.


 

How is this contract upheld? - Weber’s “Monopoly on Legitimate Violence”


  • Weber’s concept of the state’s monopoly on legitimate violence explains that the state alone has the right to use force to enforce laws and maintain order.

  • This violence can be actual (policing, military force, imprisonment) or implicit (the threat of punishment deterring unlawful behaviour).

    • Predictable and systematic application of force ensures that individuals follow the laws that uphold societal stability.

  • Social contract theory suggests that citizens give up certain freedoms in exchange for security and order.

    • The state enforces the contract by maintaining control over violence, preventing individuals from taking justice into their own hands.


 

Challenges and criticism

  • Authoritarian systems challenge Locke's emphasis on limited government

  • Totalitarian regimes extend state power beyond even Hobbes's vision

  • Anarchists reject the need for state authority entirely

  • Libertarians push for minimal government intervention


 

Applications – Why is this important? How does this apply to real life?


Why is this important?

For students pursuing higher education in Politics, Philosophy, Economics (PPE), Law, or International Relations, understanding Social Contract Theory demonstrates the construction of a strong engagement with fundamental political concepts. It showcases your ability to:

  • Analyse political relationships and power structures

  • Engage in debates on rights, authority, and legitimacy

  • Connect historical thought to modern issues


How does this apply to real life? – The MAGA political movement as an example.


Different perspectives on the Make America Great Again (MAGA) political movement can be reasoned with through social contract theory.


  • Hobbesian View: Trump’s presidency emphasises “retribution” and expanding presidential power, appealing to those who see strong leadership as necessary for national stability.

    • His push to centralise executive authority reflects Hobbes’ belief in absolute power to prevent disorder.


  • Lockean View: Trump threatens the social contract by rejecting legal constraints—calling to defund parts of the Justice Department, attacking the judiciary, and refusing to accept election results.

    • This undermines Locke’s principle that government legitimacy comes from the people’s consent.


  • Trump, pledging mass deportation, expanded the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), reinforcing Weber’s idea that the state maintains power through force.

    • MAGA supporters see this as necessary for sovereignty, while opponents argue it erodes human rights and weakens democratic legitimacy.


Social Contract Theory explains why people accept authority, while Weber shows how states enforce it. Trump’s administration reflects tensions between strong enforcement (Hobbes) and legitimacy through consent (Locke).


 

Further Reading


  • John Stuart Mill – Considerations on Representative Government

    • As recommended by LSE

  • Jürgen Habermas – Legitimation Crisis

    • Capitalist societies struggle with contradictions that lead to declining trust in institutions

    • Recommended in political science courses to study modern governance and legitimacy.

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