Introduction to Philosophy/The Social Contract

The theory of social contract usually concerns the legitimacy of the authority of the state or government over the individual. Social contract theory seeks to explain two things, firstly the historical origins of state as sovereign authority and secondly origins of the principles that establish the legitimacy of the sovereign authority.

In this theory human life before the existence of organised societies or governments is referred to as the 'state of nature'. The social contract theory is rooted in the idea that humans, in their natural state (meaning before government), are driven by self-interest and are prone to conflict. Thomas Hobbes in his book "Leviathan" stated that life in "nature" was "nasty, brutish, and short". To escape the hardships existing in the state of nature, people formed social contract where they agree to submit to a central authority that is government in exchange for protection and peace.

Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau have significant contributions to this theory. It is pertinent do note that the details of social contract theory mentioned by these authors are not same in all respects, for example, writers differ on what the rights of individuals should be in a state.