SOCIAL CONTRACT THEORIES社会契约理论.pptVIP

SOCIAL CONTRACT THEORIES Key Concepts: The State of Nature The Social Contract The Sovereign Key Concepts: The State of Nature: A pre-social condition. The Social Contract: An agreement between (a) members of the community or (b) members of the community and the Sovereign. The Sovereign: The legitimate head of state after the Social Contract: (a) a person or group of persons, such as a monarch or a government, or (b) the people representing themselves. KEY PLAYERS IN SOCIAL CONTRACT THEORY Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679): Argues in favor of absolute monarchy. John Locke (1632-1704): Argues in favor of representational democracy. Anti-royalist. KEY PLAYERS IN SOCIAL CONTRACT THEORY Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778): Argues in favor of direct democracy. Immanuel Kant (1724-1804): Argues in favor of a representational system, but lead by a monarch/government with the people’s interest at heart. KEY PLAYERS IN SOCIAL CONTRACT THEORY John Rawls (1921-2002): Argues in favor of an imaginary social contract within a democracy, an “Original Position.” VIEWS ON HUMAN NATURE Hobbes: Humans are selfish by nature and must be controlled. Locke: Humans are rational by nature, and can by-and-large control themselves. Rousseau: Humans are good and compassionate by nature, but can be corrupted by civilization. Kant: Humans are selfish by nature, but can control themselves through rational, universalized thinking. Rawls: Humans are selfish by nature, and the Social Contract must be made attractive by appealing to everyone’s self-interest. VIEWS ON THE STATE OF NATURE: Hobbes: The State of Nature is a dangerous place, and “life of man “ is “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.” Locke: The State of Nature exists any time humans haven’t entered into an agreement with each other to participate in a government. Even so, it is not chaotic because of human rationality, and the three natural rights to life, liberty, and property. Rousseau: The State of Nature is a wonderful, rich e