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LSDefine
Simple English definitions for legal terms
social contract
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A quick definition of social contract:
Social contract: An agreement between people and their government where individuals give up some of their freedoms in exchange for protection and security. This agreement forms the basis of a society and is important for everyone to follow. It was first talked about by philosophers like Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean Jacques Rousseau, but the idea goes back to ancient Greece.
A more thorough explanation:
The social contract is an agreement between citizens and their government. This agreement can be either expressed or implied. In this agreement, individuals agree to give up certain freedoms in exchange for mutual protection. It forms the foundation of a political society.
Political philosophers such as Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean Jacques Rousseau are primarily associated with the term. However, it can be traced back to the Greek Sophists.
- When citizens pay taxes, they are fulfilling their end of the social contract. They give up some of their money in exchange for the government's protection and services.
- By obeying laws, citizens are also fulfilling their end of the social contract. They give up some of their freedom to act as they please in exchange for the government's protection and the maintenance of order.
These examples illustrate how citizens give up certain freedoms in exchange for the government's protection and services. This agreement is the social contract, and it forms the foundation of a political society.