social contract
Society's unwritten pact
Social contract refers to an implicit agreement among members of a society to cooperate for mutual benefit, typically by surrendering some individual freedoms in exchange for protection and social order.
The concept, developed by philosophers like Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau, underpins modern political theory and justifies governmental authority.
In everyday use, it often describes unwritten rules of behavior people follow to maintain civil society: Littering violates the social contract we all depend on.
English political philosopher
- LockeEnglish empiricist philosopher's surname
- RousseauFrench surname, philosopher or painter
- state of natureHypothetical pre-governmental human existence
- compactTightly packed together
covenant · natural law · legitimacy · Leviathan · rational choice · thought experiment · Enlightenment · classical liberalism
Freedoms inherent to personhood
- civil libertiesRights limiting government power
- human rightsInalienable personal freedoms
- inalienableIncapable of being surrendered
- freedomAbsence of constraint
equality · property rights · security · protection · entitlement · constitutional rights · individual rights · collective rights
Inherent physical or structural makeup
- sovereigntySupreme independent authority
- rule of lawSupremacy of established laws
- separation of powersConstitutional distribution of authority
- checks and balancesConstitutional power-limiting framework
republic · democracy · legislation · rights · duties · citizenship · political authority · public institutions
Agreement without explicit statement
- explicit consentClearly stated agreement
- voluntary agreementUnforced mutual consent
- legitimacyLawful or rightful status
- authorityPower to enforce obedience
opt-in · dissent · civil disobedience · acquiescence · participation · ratification · binding agreement · mutual obligation
Shared binding responsibility
- cooperationJoint action toward shared aims
- common goodBenefit shared by all
- shared responsibilityDuty divided among parties
- interdependenceReciprocal reliance between entities
trust · civic duty · public goods · free rider · contribution · solidarity · communal welfare · exchange
Hobbes
English political philosopher
- LockeEnglish empiricist philosopher's surname
- RousseauFrench surname, philosopher or painter
- state of natureHypothetical pre-governmental human existence
compact · covenant · natural law · legitimacy · Leviathan · rational choice · thought experiment · Enlightenment · classical liberalism
natural rights
Freedoms inherent to personhood
- civil libertiesRights limiting government power
- human rightsInalienable personal freedoms
- inalienableIncapable of being surrendered
freedom · equality · property rights · security · protection · entitlement · constitutional rights · individual rights · collective rights · liberty
constitution
Inherent physical or structural makeup
- sovereigntySupreme independent authority
- rule of lawSupremacy of established laws
- separation of powersConstitutional distribution of authority
checks and balances · republic · democracy · legislation · rights · duties · citizenship · political authority · public institutions · limited government
tacit consent
Agreement without explicit statement
- explicit consentClearly stated agreement
- voluntary agreementUnforced mutual consent
- legitimacyLawful or rightful status
authority · opt-in · dissent · civil disobedience · acquiescence · participation · ratification · binding agreement · mutual obligation · withdrawal
mutual obligation
Shared binding responsibility
- cooperationJoint action toward shared aims
- common goodBenefit shared by all
- shared responsibilityDuty divided among parties
interdependence · trust · civic duty · public goods · free rider · contribution · solidarity · communal welfare · exchange · fairness
- connectionslink, links, connect, connection, tie
- civicsballot, election, ballots, Bill of Rights, branches of government
- governancegovernance, government, democracy, vote, parliament
- social systemspolitical systems, capitalism, feudalism, economic systems, legal systems
- community valuescommon good, solidarity, diversity, mutual respect, trust
- moral sayingsdo unto others, golden rule, do the right thing, honesty is the best policy, treat others fairly
social contractanarchy
Disorder from absent authority
state of nature · lawlessness · chaos · anomie · failed state
social contractdivine right of kings
Monarchs rule by celestial mandate
tyranny · despotism · absolute rule · absolute monarchy · authoritarianism
social contractnatural law
Inherent moral principles
instinct · tradition · custom · evolutionary adaptation · tribal loyalty
social, contract, society, associate, association, sociable, associated, contraction, socialism