Social Contract Theory
The social contract model is based on the underlying premise that society, in pursuit of the protection of people's lives and property, enters into a compact agreement with the government - where the latter guarantees the society protection, and the society in turn pledge to live in peace and harmony (Dooley & Paten, 2014). John Locke and Thomas Hobbes, the two main proponents of the social contract model, agree on this premise but differ significantly in regard to the principles under which the contract ought to operate (Dooley & Paten, 2014).
Hobbes' versus Locke's View
Through his political work Leviathan, Hobbes states that the government and the society both exist within the confines of the stipulated contractual agreement, but the former is the higher one of the two parties, and enjoys absolute sovereignty to use its power and political right to ensure that general order prevails in the society. In Hobbes' view, therefore, the society can only follow the government's regulations/conditions in goodwill and full compliance. Towards this end, as long as the government is able to maintain general order, the society reserves no right to replace or overthrow it, even if it (the government) has proven to be weak in other areas of governance.
Locke's view, on the other hand, expresses that the social contract binds both parties, but i) the society is only bound to follow the authority's regulations as long as the authority sticks to the basic confines of the agreement; and ii) the society reserves the right to replace or overthrow the government if it repeatedly violates the contract's basic guidelines. Although Locke's view has been...
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