social contract Essay - 880 Words

quot;The current federal system of government in the United States is failing to meet its social contract obligations to the American people.quot; There is nothing closer to the truth than this statement. While some may argue that the government is following the guidelines of a social contract, many aspects of the government have outgrown their britches and taken over. With over fifteen thousand jobs up for the taking in the government it is hard to believe that the government comprised in the 18th century is the same as the one we have now. The government has grown exponentially large since than and has created new positions and departments to quot;better servequot; the country. Such departments include the Department of Homeland†¦show more content†¦The government wants to pass an amendment to the Constitution that would rule gay marriage unconstitutional and therefore illegal. However, is it not true that there is a separation between church and state? How is it that the government can tell the churches, quot;Look we dont like gay marriage so you cant wed these two.quot;? Is it not up to the church and the ministers to decide this for themselves? Does the government feel that the gays are now the biggest threat to American society? Is that what they have to protect us from? When it comes to protesting the government is even more protect ive. During the 2005 Presidential Inauguration you had to reserve a spot to protest, and there were many things that were not allowed down the parade route (such as picket signs). Yet isnt it in the US Constitution that it is legal to protest and gather in public. Susan Goering, Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland put it best: quot;Public expression of sincere and deeply felt disagreement with government policies is one of the highest forms of patriotism and the lifeblood of a democracy.quot; Separation of powers in this day in age is a touchy situation. Let me pose for you a situation: The President nominates the Supreme Court justices he wants to serve during his term. The Congress of the United States; which is controlled by the same party as the governmentShow MoreRelatedThe Function of a Social Contract1676 Words   |  7 PagesWhat is the Function of a Social Contract? Philosophers have been concerned with the theories of a social contract for thousands of years. Plato mentions the concept in Crito and in Republic. These theories have stemmed from the concept of justice and for our society to be just. I will look at the works of Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Jean Jacques Rousseau and finally with John Rawls after which a overall view into the function of a social contract can be derived as well as any problems with the theory(s)Read MoreEssay Social Contract664 Words   |  3 Pages The Social Contract- nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Rousseaus principal aim in writing The Social Contract is to determine how freedom may be possible in civil society, and we might do well to pause briefly and understand what he means by quot;freedom.quot; In the state of nature we enjoy the physical freedom of having no restraints on our behavior. By entering into the social contract, we place restraints on our behavior, which make it possible to live in a community. By giving up our physicalRead MoreThe Theory Of Social Contract1709 Words   |  7 Pagesnot an action is deemed ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ can be understood in terms of contracts, and is furthered with the theory of social contract. Additionally, contractualism can be distinguished from Hobbesian contractualism (also known as contractarianism) and Kantian contractualism, whereby the former looks to contracts made by individuals of a society for the sake of personal gain and benefit, while the latter sees to contracts made b y individuals of any given society that consider each other and themselvesRead MoreThe Social Contract Theory1357 Words   |  5 PagesThe social contract theory is the belief that people live in a society with an unwritten and socially accepted contract for a relationship between the people and their government. The people follow certain rules to protect themselves from violence and the like. The government in turn enforces those rules. In the absence of a social contract, the state of nature exists which citizens actions are governed by personal morals and beliefs. In any social contract people vest their rights to the authorityRead MoreA Critique Of The Social Contract1946 Words   |  8 Pages A Critique of the Social Contract According To John Locke Introduction John Locke embedded his political ideas in the form of two treatises popularly known as Two Treatises on Civil Government that he authored in 1690. In the first treatise, Locke disagrees with the political and social philosophy of Robert Filmer in his work known as Patriacha, authored in 1654. The second treatise contains Locke’s viewpoint on political philosophy where he expounds the origin, authority and the significance ofRead MoreConceptions of the Social Contract Theory924 Words   |  4 Pagestheir own version of the social contract theory. The social contract theory is a treaty or an agreement that developed a set of laws, organized a functional society, and created the need to be governed. It was put into place when man realized that there was no law. Mankind eventually sought the desire for security and order. To receive security and order people shall voluntarily give up all their rights and freedoms and be obedient to some sort of authority. The social contract the ory is made up of twoRead MoreSocial Contract And The Civil Society979 Words   |  4 Pages The social contract and the push for individuals to enter it rely on some conception of a state of nature. Whilst the expected behaviour of persons in the state of nature differs among the social contract theorists, the classical writings all share one common feature, a â€Å"generalised potential for threat† from other persons (Dicus 2015, p. 105). However, the nature of this threat in the hypothetical state of nature is not verifiable, as is the transition to civil society. The â€Å"signing† of the socialRead MoreJacques And The Social Contract Theory1287 Words   |  6 Pagessupporter of the social contract theory, which is considered by him as the source of states legitimacy, criticises social inequality, authoritarianism and feudalism. As an important social contract theorist, he also elaborates that people are the creators of law as well as the subject of law and because they will provide themselves with the laws they wish to live by, the people s sovereignty is assured by the societies contract that is created (Bertram, 2010). In his writings The Social Contract or PrinciplesRead MoreState of Nature and Social Contract1323 Words   |  5 PagesHobbes and Locke are the founders of social contract theory, Hobbes’ Leviathan was the first political philosophy to discuss social contract theory and the state of nature followed by John Locke’s Second Treatise of Government, both of their theories are distinct form each other but yet related. Hobbes and lock are both considered the first classical liberals, they differed from other classical philosophers because of their individualistic society, rather than a communal society that promotes theRead MoreWeaknesses Of Social Contract Theory928 Words   |  4 PagesSocial Contract theory is the idea that in the beginning people lived in the state of nature with no government and laws to regulate them. In order to overcome the issues involved in the state of nature, people entered into agreements to protect themselves and their properties. They did this by uniting, rescinding certain rights under the state of nature, and pledging themselves to an authority that will guarantee certain protections. They all agree to live together under those laws and create a