Rousseau Theory Of Social Contract

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The emergence of society from a pre-political state of nature can be explained by the concept of the social contract. Thomas Hobbes and Jean-Jacques Rousseau have contrasting social contract theories. Hobbes’ social contract is founded on self-preservation and fear of the state of nature. It aims to establish one’s security, peace, and a system of justice by all voluntarily agreeing to a third party ruler or state. In comparison Rousseau’s social contract aims to find an association that will defend and protect an individual with common effort, established on one’s freedom in the state of nature. To better understand how Thomas Hobbes conceived his notion of the social contract in Leviathan (1651) one must closely examine Hobbes’ form of the state of nature. For Hobbes it was necessary to strip back human society to realise how our human nature …show more content…

It aims to defend the individual in society from corrupt establishments or states that have been influenced by their ego and private property, it also does not sacrifice an individual’s freedom, and instead civil and moral freedom are two of the main motives for Rousseau’s social contract. It reduces the power that the sovereign state has over people by establishing a direct democratic society based on the general will. However there are some concerns that arise with the general will, mainly the will of the people directed towards the common good can itself present a despotism of its own. This social contract theory promotes victimisation of minority groups to preserve the common good. Also what if an individual decides they do not want to live by the common interests of this new society? Rousseau would suggest being forced to be free as the interests of the whole are served only by following rational principles that cultivate the common good which is comparable to a totalitarian

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