Comparing Locke And Rousseau's Social Contract

Improved Essays
Argument #2 Social Contract
Social contracts are an individual 's moral and ethical political obligations, which are dependent upon a contract or agreement. It addresses questions of the origin of the society, and the legitimacy of the authority the state holds over an individual. For Locke, since the state of nature is a state of liberty where people recognize the presence of the Law of Nature and, therefore, do not harm one another, the state of war differs from the state of nature.
Property is essential in Locke 's argument for civil government and the contract that establishes it. This is because the reason human beings abandon the state of nature is to ensure greater protection of their property, not only concerning material goods, but also their bodies. In fact, Locke referred to the state of nature as the "Golden Age," which was
…show more content…
A ruler should be aware of the power the public holds against him, as the people are the ones who formed the government, thus, they retain the ability to dissolve it. Any unlawful rebellion against the people can alter or abolish the legislative or executive power. Thus, a good ruler is one who can distinguish between actions that promote the public good and those that destroy it.
Likewise, Rousseau agrees with Locke that one enters civil society to protect property rights. This shift is truly when a non-societal man becomes a social being. However, unlike Locke, who provides a rather optimistic view of the social contract, Rousseau considers the social contract a moral disaster that is catastrophic towards achieving human happiness. In fact, he believes this entire idea a scam, as the social contract is only beneficial towards a small percentage of the elite population that has managed to convince the poor in assisting them to protect their

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    On one hand, John Locke believed that the state of nature is unsatisfactory, the government was therefore formed by social contract since people agree to transfer some of their rights to a centralized government in order to secure enjoyment of their properties. (Locke, 1764) Obviously, the formation of the American government is an example to illustrate Locke’s idea. The United States government derives its legitimacy and legal authority from the consent of the majority…

    • 638 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Nothing is more thought provoking than how the past can affect the future. Because of the conditions that they grew up in, John Locke, Mary Wollstonecraft, and Voltaire would have had different viewpoints on human nature. Some would admire it and aspire to uphold the laws and duties that were proclaimed in said writing while others would find small injustices within its words. Between these three individuals, their responses to the Preamble of the Declaration of Independence would be both similar and contrasting due to a number of reasons concerning both government and human society. John Locke’s life and societal philosophies had an impact not only on England but on the rest of the world as well.…

    • 1073 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Moreover, he believed in popular sovereignty, where the citizens have the right to choose how they should be governed instead of just having one ruler making all of the decisions. Locke believes that the purpose of the government is to protect its citizen and fulfill the people’s desires or else they will have the intention to overthrow the government that is not fulfilling its job. Even though Locke advocated for a democratic system of government, he did not believe it was the only valid system of government. He states in his book, “hence it is evident, that absolute monarchy, which by some men is counted the only government in the world, is indeed inconsistent with civil society, and so can be no form of civil-government at…

    • 1121 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Locke states that the government is obligated to serve people, namely by protecting life, liberty, and property at all cost. In Locke’s eyes the purpose of government is to secure and protect the natural rights and in return the people must obey the laws created by their rulers. This basis of an arrangement is detailed in the American Declaration of Independence as well. The document explains that when and if a government becomes destructive “it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it;” this would be know as Locke’s social contract between the government and its’ people. In this contract Locke details that the citizens of a state would turn over their power to an established government when that said government signs a contract declaring that its’ members will have the common interest in mind.…

    • 1261 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    He believed that the state of nature was one of free will, of equality, and of total freedom; within its boundaries. While this idea was one of perfection it was also had its counterpart. “But though men when they enter into society give up the equality, liberty, and executive power they had in the state of Nature into the hands of the society, to be so far disposed of by the legislative as the good of the society shall require, yet it being only with an intention in every one the better to preserve himself, his liberty and property” (Locke, Para 131). Locke believes there would always be war as long as there is man to declare it. Turning war into a never-ending cycle, due to the lack of civil authority in the state of nature.…

    • 896 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Natural Rights Vs Feminism

    • 1092 Words
    • 5 Pages

    An important topic is being discussed and it concerns the article of natural rights and feminism. For instance, “natural rights is defined as rights such as life, liberty, and property, with which an individual is born” (Roots of Wisdom Pg. 354). In addition, feminism is defined as the advocacy of women’s rights on the grounds of political, social, and economic equality to their male counterpart. Indeed, there are many opinions about these topics. However, the concept of natural rights and feminism have been prevalent throughout history.…

    • 1092 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Locke’s Second Treatise of Government allowed for the ideal that no ruler or government could do whatever they pleased because there were moral laws that encompassed all of society. However, Rousseau was adamant in his belief that man “is born free and everywhere he is in chains. ”1 Rousseau defended the right of the people to rule, he argued that the people were only accountable for themselves and the ruler or government had no right to subjugate the people. Locke and Rousseau’s idea of government are similar in the fact that they both embody some aspects of our government today. Rousseau inspired the phrase “We the people…”2 at the beginning of the Declaration of Independence because of his belief in the wisdom of the people to decide in their own affairs.…

    • 1297 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Great Essays

    In Rousseau’s argument, men cannot be as free as they are in the state of nature in modern society and asserts that that institutions and structures in modern society contradict the freedom and natural goodness of man. Yet, a specific government may be able to provide its members with a certain amount of freedom that somewhat amounts to that present in the state of nature. He writes, in regards to the role of government, “Find a form of association which defends and protects with all common forces the person and goods of each associate, and by means of which each one, while uniting with all, nevertheless obeys only himself and remains as free as before” (Rousseau, 148). The ultimate goal of the government is to ensure the natural freedom of its societal members. The law put forth from the government should be a reflection of the general will of the community.…

    • 1838 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Great Essays

    Both Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Karl Marx share the political and economical ideology that private property separates society into classes, and creates oppression. However, the two view property in different regards. Rousseau views property in a more political view, while Marx focuses more on the economic sphere of property and society. This paper will first state Rousseau and his critique of property, inequality, and the emergence of society found in The Discourses. Then, it will contrast the political critique of Rousseau with that of Karl Marx’s economic critique regarding property, and include other critical parts of Marx’s work including the Jewish Question and the Communist Manifesto.…

    • 1114 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Indeed, Rousseau believed in the equity within the members of the society. He showed the close relationship between equality and freedom in his writing, especially in his book “The Social Contract”(1762). According to him, the nature of man is resistant to inequality by nature; it does not have to confront others, asking them to prove anything. Far from seeking concrete ways to achieve a society that respects freedom, Rousseau seeks a universal standard by which to judge the legitimacy of companies. According to his beliefs, “men are born free, their liberty belong to them, and no one…

    • 1254 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    INTRODUCTION Underlying Adams’ quote is the important question as to whether society is progressive and has positive implications for humans, or whether its implications are negative and corrupting. Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Émile Durkheim are two political theorists who battle in their writing to determine what is bad and what is good about society. This essay will consider how progressive or corrupting society is and in what ways, according to Rousseau and Durkheim. The essay will explore Rousseau’s argument about the ‘chains’ of society, and look at Durkheim’s contrasting view of the value of community in society.…

    • 2119 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In the comparison of Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean Jacques Rousseau and their respective ideas of The Social Contract I would like to begin by breaking down what the Social Contract is and all its encompassing ideas. The concept of social contract theory is that before civilization man lived in the state of nature in its purest form. There was no central body of governance and no law to regulate society. This meant there were hardships and oppression on certain sections of the society because they had nobody fighting for them. To overcome from these hardships people entered into agreements known as “social contracts”.…

    • 1704 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    He made huge strides in outlining the values of the collective and individual as well as their faults. In terms of the overall notion of where the power of the state lies, Rousseau argued that it is within the people or citizens. Rousseau was part of an interesting transition between where power lies and who made the laws. Prior to Rousseau and the Enlightenment Era in general, the sovereignty of state lay with the ruler. This antiquated view of royalty was probably best exemplified by Louis XIV of France when he boldly declared “L 'État, c 'est moi” (“I am the state”).…

    • 1065 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The ‘general will’ would now govern the states, taking away one’s natural rights, but gaining them civil liberties. According to Rousseau, the ‘general will’ was when man gave power to the majority and essentially hoped that they would govern correctly. By following the guidelines set out than one would essentially be governing themselves because the guidelines of society are set up with consideration for the ‘general will’. Rousseau valued the idea of people’s sovereignty and for him the state, ‘general will’, laws, and guidelines were…

    • 1070 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Social Contract Author: Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1762) Introduction His books were a blue print on how Rousseau wanted to know the reasons of why the people gave up their natural liberty over the state of nature. How the political standpoint became such an impact in people’s lives. One of the things he did state in his book that stuck out to me was that, “Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains.”…

    • 900 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays