Trent Buchanan
PSCI 107
Proff. Gerber
9/14/16
The social contract, I could sit here and give you an absolutely boring explanation and about what all its components mean and all the hidden messages in Jean-Jacques Rousseau interpretation of it. But, I’m just going to sum it up in modern day English we all know; here is a quick definition, “an agreement of mutual benefit between an individual or group and the government or community as a whole.”(Dictionary.com) In other words the social contract theory is an act agreed upon by all people to be ethical to each other, that we are “all in this together”. But, there are laws that come with living in this society. In Rousseau’s writing, one of the first things he writes is, “Man is born free; and …show more content…
“Locke used the claim that men are naturally free and equal as part of the justification for understanding legitimate political government as the result of a social contract where people in the state of nature conditionally transfer some of their rights to the government in order to better ensure the stable, comfortable enjoyment of their lives, liberty, and property.” (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy) What sticks out to me that we all practice here in America is that we give up some rights to keep things sane and live at a peaceful level. Another idea that makes up America’s social contract that Locke believes is, “His central claims are that government should not use force to try to bring people to the true religion and that religious societies are voluntary organizations that have no right to use coercive power over their own members or those outside their group.”(Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy) This statement brings up the separation of church and state. Separation of church and state was founded for there to be a line both sides cannot …show more content…
In recent news, 49ers (backup) quarterback Colin Kaepernick has kneeled down on one knee during the National Anthem to spread awareness of social injustice for people with color. On a social level, Kaepernick is getting looked down upon more than getting praised for it in the media. A question you have to ask yourself is does this practice go against America’s social contract or not? We all know that in the social contract it wants us all to live in harmony. But sometimes protesting causes the opposite of harmony. This act does not support my understanding of the contract because obviously we all want to live in “harmony”. That being said, it is our RIGHT to have freedom of speech (even though this is a prime example that freedom of speech is not free). “Man has a natural desire for security and order. In order to secure self- protection and self-preservation, and to avoid misery and pain, man entered into a contract. “ (What is the Social Contract Theory? p.1-2) This quote shows that in Thomas Hobbes view, man wants order but in Kaepernick’s mind this “order” is not all the way
PSCI 107
Proff. Gerber
9/14/16
The social contract, I could sit here and give you an absolutely boring explanation and about what all its components mean and all the hidden messages in Jean-Jacques Rousseau interpretation of it. But, I’m just going to sum it up in modern day English we all know; here is a quick definition, “an agreement of mutual benefit between an individual or group and the government or community as a whole.”(Dictionary.com) In other words the social contract theory is an act agreed upon by all people to be ethical to each other, that we are “all in this together”. But, there are laws that come with living in this society. In Rousseau’s writing, one of the first things he writes is, “Man is born free; and …show more content…
“Locke used the claim that men are naturally free and equal as part of the justification for understanding legitimate political government as the result of a social contract where people in the state of nature conditionally transfer some of their rights to the government in order to better ensure the stable, comfortable enjoyment of their lives, liberty, and property.” (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy) What sticks out to me that we all practice here in America is that we give up some rights to keep things sane and live at a peaceful level. Another idea that makes up America’s social contract that Locke believes is, “His central claims are that government should not use force to try to bring people to the true religion and that religious societies are voluntary organizations that have no right to use coercive power over their own members or those outside their group.”(Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy) This statement brings up the separation of church and state. Separation of church and state was founded for there to be a line both sides cannot …show more content…
In recent news, 49ers (backup) quarterback Colin Kaepernick has kneeled down on one knee during the National Anthem to spread awareness of social injustice for people with color. On a social level, Kaepernick is getting looked down upon more than getting praised for it in the media. A question you have to ask yourself is does this practice go against America’s social contract or not? We all know that in the social contract it wants us all to live in harmony. But sometimes protesting causes the opposite of harmony. This act does not support my understanding of the contract because obviously we all want to live in “harmony”. That being said, it is our RIGHT to have freedom of speech (even though this is a prime example that freedom of speech is not free). “Man has a natural desire for security and order. In order to secure self- protection and self-preservation, and to avoid misery and pain, man entered into a contract. “ (What is the Social Contract Theory? p.1-2) This quote shows that in Thomas Hobbes view, man wants order but in Kaepernick’s mind this “order” is not all the way