Social Contract Theory by Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau

This presentation is about social contract theory. It is covered by all possible angles

1. “SOCIAL CONTRACT THEORY”
Muhammad Wajid
M.Phil.International Relations
Lecturer in Political Science

2. This lecture contains ……
ThomasHobbes
HisconceptsofLeviathan
JohnLocke
J.J.Rousseau
TheconceptofGeneralWill.

3. Hobbes (1588 -1679)

4. Hobbes (1588 -1679)
BorninEngland.
Duringhisage,Englandwasundergoing
throughturmoil(i-EnglishCivilwarbetween
RepublicanandMonarchalsoii-Monarchy
withChurch)that’swhyhethoughtofan
absolutemonarchythatcouldrestorepeace
andorder.

5. Hobbes (1588 -1679)
HeisfamouslyknownforpresentingSocial
ContractTheory.
Hismainworksare
TheCave
Leviathan

6. His Spiritual Ancestry
AgreeswithMachiavellithatmanisselfishby
naturebutinsiststhatstatecantransformaman
intomoralbeing.
IndebtedtoBodinforhisconceptofsovereignty
butunlikeBodin,heplacesnolimits.
AgreeswithGrotiusthatreasonisthebaseof
lawbutitmustbesovereign’sreason.(Similarto
Plato)
LikeMachiavellisubordinatedethicsandreligionto
politics.

7. His Theory of Social Contract
HumanNature:AccordingtoHobbes,
humannaturewasessentiallyselfish,
egoisticandself-seeking.
StateofNature:Allmenwereequalin
power,theyweremovedbythree
importantdesires;desireforsafety,gain
andglory.

8. His Theory of Social Contract
Desireforgainledtoviolence.Stateof
natureturnedintoastateofwar,extreme
insecurity.
Itwaspre-social,pre-political,andpre-
civil.
Itwasruledbyselfishnessandfearwhere
therewasnopeaceandMightisRight
wastheverynorm.

9. His Theory of Social Contract
Lawsinstateofnature:Onlylawsof
natureexistedinstateofnaturebutthere
wasnoauthoritytoenforcethem.
Menenjoyedtherightoflifeandproperty
only.
Theserightswereviolatedduetounequal
powersandaconstantfearloomedover
theserights.

10. His Theory of Social Contract
TheContract:Theperpetualfearand
dangertolifeandpropertycompelled
mantoenterintoamutualagreementfor
creationofstate.
“Iauthorizeandgivemyrightofgoverning
myselftothismanortothisassemblyof
menonthisconditionthattheygiveuptheir
righttohimandauthorizeallhisactionsin
likemanner.” (Hobbes)

11. His Theory of Social Contract
Thestateiscreatedandmenhave
completelyand unconditionally
surrenderedtheirnaturalrights.
Thisisnotacontractbetweenpeopleand
sovereign.Sovereignisnotpartytothis
contracthenceheisnotanswerableand
enjoysabsolutepowers.
HetermsthissovereignasLeviathan.

12. Criticism of His Theory
Hisconceptionofhistoryisimpractical.
Thereisnohistoricalevidencetoprovehis
claimsofthecontract.
Thereisnoevidencetoprovethatstateof
naturewasfullofchaosonly.Heonly
portrayeddarksideofthepicture.Human
natureisessentiallyboth,goodandbad.

13. Leviathan of Hobbes
HisconceptofSovereignisinaccordance
tohistimewhereanabsoluteauthority
wasrequiredtobringEnglandoutof
turmoil.
Heisnotpartytocontract.Hispowersare
unchecked.

14. Leviathan of Hobbes
Heistheguardianofhissubordinates.
Protectsthemfrominternalandexternal
threats.
Propertyiscreationofthesovereignand
hecanimposetaxesoverit.
Ifnecessary,hecantakeawaythe
freedomofspeech.
Subordinateshavenorighttorevoltagainst
him.

15. Leviathan of Hobbes
Heisfreefromreligiousobligationsover
hisauthority.
Allpowersofgovernment(Making,
interpretingandexecutionoflaws)exist
withhim.
Hecanmakepolicies.
Choosehiscouncilorstohiswill.

16. Criticism of his Leviathan
ToHobbes,Leviathanissourceofall
powerswhichissupporttoafull
dictatorship.
AssigningpropertytoLeviathanisinjustice.
MakinghimfreeofMoralandReligious
ethicswillmakehimaTyrantanditwill
deterioratepeaceofthesociety.

17. John Locke (1632 -1704)

18. John Locke (1632 -1704)
HebelongedtoEngland.
FoundedtheSchoolofEmpiricism.
HehadgreatimpactoverAmericanand
FrenchRevolutions.
HewasknownastheSecondfatherof
ModernPhilosophy.
(ReneDescartesisthefatherofModern
Philosophy)

19. John Locke (1632 -1704)
Hismainworkswere:
TwoTreatiseonGovernment
AnEssayconcerningHumanUnderstanding.
Aletterconcerningtoleration.

20. John Locke on Social Contract
HumanNature:Maninstateofnatureissocialas
wellasrational.Heiscapableofrecognizing
moralorder.Hefeelsloveandsympathyforhis
fellows.
Hewantstoliveinpeaceandharmony.
Allmenareequalandtheirphysicalabilitiesand
powershavenothingtodowiththeirinequalities.
Cooperativenatureresultedinformationoffamily
andfinally,thestate.

21. John Locke on Social Contract
StateofNature:Stateofnaturewasnot
pre-socialratheritwaspre-politicalonly.
Itwasbasedonpeaceandgoodwill.
Menwereequalandfreetoactwithinthe
limitationofthestateofnature.

22. John Locke on Social Contract
Lawsofnature:Theyweregovernedby
lawsofnatureduringthestateofnature.
Theselawsofnaturewerenotwrittenbut
justperceivedandmutuallyaccepteddue
toequalrationalityandfraternity.
Other’slife,healthandpropertywere
protectedduetotheselaws.

23. John Locke on Social Contract
Theyenjoyedliberty,naturalrightstolife,
libertyandproperty.
Thoughitwaspeacefulerabutitwasfull
ofcontinualfearsanddangersbecause
lawsofnaturewerenotclearlydefined,
noauthoritytointerpretthoselawsand
alsonoauthoritytoenforcethoselaws.

24. John Locke on Social Contract
TheContract:Togetridoftheseconditions
ofcontinualfear,peopleenteredintotwo
contracts.
Thefirstcontract:Stateofnatureis
substitutedbyacivilsocietythrougha
contractamongthepeople.Itresultedin
clearlyformulatedlaws.

25. John Locke on Social Contract
Thesecondcontract:Thecontractof
government.Abodypoliticisformedby
meanofsocialcontract.Theindividuals
givinguptheirpersonalrighttointerpret
andadministerthelawsofnaturein
returnforaguaranteethattheirnatural
rightstolife,libertyandpropertywould
beprotected.

26. John Locke on Social Contract
“Eachindividualcontractswitheach
othertouniteintoandconstitutea
community.Theendofwhichthe
agreementismadeistheprotectionand
preservationofproperty.”(Locke)

27. John Locke on Government
Thegovernmentcan’texercisepowers
arbitrarily.Itcanfreelyexercisepowers
onlyinregardtotheothergovernments.
Itspowersmustbedirectedtowards
generalwelfareofthesociety.
Itcannotdepriveofmenfromproperty
withouttheirconsent.

28. John Locke on Government
HisconceptofgovernmentisLimited
governmentorconstitutionalgovernment.
Legislativebodywillbesuperiortothe
executivebody.
Executivewilllookaftertheimplementation
oflaws,formationofforeignpolicyand
themattersofmilitary.

29. John Locke on Right of Revolution
Ifgovernmentviolatedthetrustbyignoring
itspurposeorbyusingthepowergranted
itforaselfishpurpose,thepeoplehavea
righttoremovethegovernment,byforceif
necessary.
Thepeople,however,havenorightto
revoltifthegovernmenthasnotviolatedits
trust.

30. Criticism of John Locke
Theprotectionofpropertywouldresultin
preservationpropertiedclass.
Healsopresentedonlyoneviewof
humannatureignoringtheothersideof
thepicture.Absenceofauthoritywould
definitelycorruptthehumanactivities.
Givingrighttorevoltunderbreakoftrust
onlyandallowingpeopletojudgethe
breakoftrustisself-contradictory.

31. Rousseau 1712 -1778

32. Rousseau 1712 -1778
“Manisbornfreebuteverywherein
chain”
HebelongedtoGeneva.
Hispoliticaltheoryheavilyinfluenced
Frenchrevolution.
Hismajorworksare:
SocialContract
EmileorOnEducation
TheConfessions(Autobiography)

33. Rousseau on Social Contract
Humannature:Hebelievedthathumanby
natureissocialandcooperative.The
originofcivilizationcorruptedhim.
Lawofnature:Lawofnaturewasbased
onmoralityandreason.Lawswerebased
ongeneralwillwherepeoplewantedto
respectother’srightssothatthererightsso
thatnobodyinterferesinhisrights.

34. Rousseau on Social Contract
StateofNature:Rousseaubelievedthat
maninStateofnaturewasNobleSavage.
Twothingsseparatedhimfromanimals:
Freedom:Theabilitytodecideforoneself.
PityorCompassion:Abilitytofeelpainfor
thenearones.

35. Rousseau on Social Contract
Helivedinafree,happyandpeacefullife
inthestateofnature.Buttwothingsputan
endtothishappyexistence
Riseofcivilizationinresultofagriculture
andsenseofprivateownership,language
etc.
Increaseinnumberofpopulation.

36. Rousseau on Social Contract
Withthesedevelopmentspeace,equality
andfreedomofstateofnatureweregone
replacedbywar,murder,disputes,and
inequalityinaccesstoresources.
Civilizationcorruptedhumanity.

37. Rousseau on Social Contract
TheContract:Peopleescapedthe
miserablesituationbyenteringintocontract
andinstitutingacivilsociety.
Theymettogetherandsurrenderedtheir
naturalrightsbysaying,“Eachofusputhis
personandallhispowerincommonunderthe
supremedirectionofthegeneralwillandin
ourcorporatecapacity,wereceiveeach
memberasanindivisiblepartofthewhole.”

38. Rousseau on Social Contract
Mandoesnotsurrendercompletelytoasovereignruler
buteachmangiveshimselftonobodyinparticularbut
all.Manloseshisnaturallibertyandunlimitedrights,
buthegainscivillibertyandpropertyrights.
“Inshort,hegiveshimselftoallandgiveshimselfto
none.Itfollowsthatwegaintheexactequivalentof
whatwelose,aswellasaddedpowertoconserve
whatwealreadyhave.” (Rousseau)
Peoplesurrendertheirlibertytoasovereign
generalwillandretainitasamemberof
society.

39. Rousseau on Inequality
Inequalityinresources(Socio-economic
inequality)isfeatureofmoderncivilsociety,
notknownintheStateofnature.
Rootcauseofinequalityistheinstitutionof
privateproperty.
Individualspossessingsuperiornatural
abilitiesacquiredmoreresourcescausing
inequality,developmentofsocialclasses.

40. Rousseau on Inequality
Wealth,rank,power,personalmerit,are
dimensionsofinequality.
Resourcefulpersonsgainedcontrolover
resource-lessmasses.
Powerful/resourcefulframedlawlegitimizing
privateproperty–“ownershipofpropertyis
theperformanceofinequalityandprotectionof
privatepropertyrightsistheenshrinementof
inequalitybythestate.”

41. Rousseau on Inequality
Insteadofself-love,peoplestartedlivingin
theopinionsofothers,developedego,
passion,desire,jealousy,enmity–
corruptingeffectsofcivilization.
Conceptionofstatebasedonindividual
rightsandnegativefreedomisimmoral,
unjust,andunequalstate.

42. Rousseau on General Will
Hiscontractcreatesamoralandcollective
willcalledGeneralWill.Itwasforcommon
goodandgoodofindividual.
“Thereisagreatdifferencebetweenthe
willofallandthegeneralwill.Thelater
considersthecommoninterestswhileformer
takesintoaccounttheprivateinterests.”
(Rousseau)

43. Rousseau on General Will
Theindividualssurrenderedtheirnatural
freedomandpowerstothecommunityasa
wholeunderthegeneralwill.
Ajustruleiswiththeconsentofthegeneral
will.
RealorTrueWill:Willofourhigherself-
rational,authenticorvirtuous:trueself.
ActualWill:Willofourlowerself:Irrational,
impulsive,lustful,empiricalbeliefanddesire.

44. Rousseau on General Will
PrivateorIndividualWill:Reflectself-interest
ofoneindividual.
CorporateWill:Reflectselfinterestofagroup.
GeneralWill:Representcollectivewillofa
politicalcommunity.Itisalwaysright,just,moral
andforpurposeofcommongood.Itisthe
synthesizeoftherealwills,embodimentof
altruism.Itrepresentssovereigntyofthe
communityformedbysocialcontract.

45. Rousseau on General Will
Representscollectivewillofthecommunity.
Itisjust,moral,andforthepurposeof
commongood.
Citizensactingjustandmoralarriveat
Generalwill,whichisalwaysrightand
reflectcommonorpublicgood–voiceof
allforgoodofall.

46. Rousseau on General Will
Generalwillisnotaggregationofa
particularorprivatewillsofcommunity
members.Itrepresentrealwillof
communitymembers.
Thegeneralwillisnotdeterminedonthe
basisofnumberofvoters,buts
determinedonthebasisofcommon
interestofunitingall.

47. Criticism of Rousseau
HisconceptofGeneralwillisinapplicable
inthemodernworldwheremultiple
organizationsandassociationsare
workingfortheirownagenda.
GivingAbsoluteauthoritytoGeneralwill
hasgivenbirthtoasortofdictatorshipto
theGeneralwill.

48. Modern Application of Social
Contract Theory
Itexplainsthetypeofrelationshipbetween
state,governmentandthepeople.
ItinfluencedFrenchandAmerican
revolutionswhichthenformulatedwayfor
moderndemocraticgovernmentsworking
asresponsiblegovernments.
Hobbes’conceptofLeviathanstillfindsits
placeinthedictatorshipslikeSyriaand
NorthKorea.

49. Modern Application of Social
Contract Theory
Hobbes’conceptofwarofallagainstall
lateronemployedbytheRealistschoolof
thoughtwhichisimportanttoolin
formulationofforeignpolicy.
Locke’sconceptofcooperativehuman
naturegavebirthtoliberalismwhich
resultedinformulationofinternationaland
regionalorganizations.

50. Modern Application of Social
Contract Theory
ConceptofGeneralwillisemployedby
moderngovernmentstoformulatepublic
opinionusingpropagandatactics.
Locke’sconceptoflimitedgovernmentis
employedbythemoderncapitalist
governments.

51. Past papers question
Q.2:WhatisthedifferencebetweenRousseau’snotion
ofthestateofnatureandthatofHobbesandLocke?
Introduction(ofallthreephilosophers)
Whatisstateofnature
Rousseau'sconceptofstateofnature
Hobbes’stateofnature
Locke’sstateofnature
Comparativeanalysis
Conclusion

52. Questions from past papers
Q.1:WhyHobbesisinfavorofabsolute
government?Giveyourcomments.(PMS-16)
Q.2:CompareLocke’sviewonnatureofman
withthatofRousseau. (PMS-16)
Q.3:CriticallyexamineSocialContractTheory.
(PMS-17)

53. Questions from past papers
Q.4:Compareandcontrastthedifferenceof
politicalphilosophiesofHobbesandLocke.Howare
thesephilosophiesimplementedinthepresentday
politicalsystemandpolicymaking?(CSS-17)
Q.5:Whatistheconceptofstateofnatureas
givenbyHobbes?MakeitscomparisonwithSocial
ContractTheorypresentedbyLockeandRousseau.
(CSS-18)

54. Questions from past papers
Q.6:CriticallyexaminetheSocialContract
Theory. (CSS-20)
Q.7:WhatisthedifferencebetweenRousseau’s
stateofnatureandthatofHobbesandLocke?
(CSS-21)
Q.8:Rousseau’sgeneralwillisthebasisoftrue
democracyinthemoderntimes.Discuss.
(PMS-20)

55. THANKS