John Locke:
In his book Two Treatises on Government, Locke refuted the divine right of Monarchy, and established a theory which states that all men are men are born free and equal. Each person should have equal access to the natural rights of life, liberty, and property. No law should limit those three principles and it is a government’s responsibility to uphold the principles. He views once of the government’s main responsibilities is to punish those who break the three principles. He came up with the idea that people, not god, gave the ruler the right to rule, and because of this if ever the government was not doing its job correctly then it is the people’s right to overthrow and change the government.
Charles de Montesquieu:
Expanding on the ideas of Locke in his book The Spirit of Laws, Montesquieu added the judiciary branch to Locke’s Executive and Legislative branch. He admired the English system of laws, and wrote on the separation of powers. Montesquieu observed three different forms of government: “republican, monarchial, and despotic.” He further divided republican government into democracy and aristocracy. Of which he dismissed a pure democracy as impossible because they easily become corrupted back into despotism or monarchy, when the feeling of equality and fairness evaporate. In order to ensure that does not happen a healthy judiciary branch is important to keep the other two branches of government in check.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau:
In his book The Social Contract, Rousseau comes up with his theories on government. He believed in what he called “a state of nature” in which people are purely instinctual and harmful, so he says people made a contract with the government to give up some of their individual freedoms in exchange for protection. Since governments get their power from the power it is their duty to do what is best for the general will (that means the most people). To ensure this happens Rousseau calls for a direct democracy where all citizens directly vote on news laws instead of a representative government where elected officials vote.
Using what you’ve read explain what it means that governments have a “social contract.”
I don't understand "social contract"
Yes, I have read the whole thing.
"...he says people made a contract with the government to give up some of their individual freedoms in exchange for protection."
Social means having to do with other people. A contract is a document that is enforceable by law.
So a social contract is an agreement to provide for the needs of people.
http://www.google.com/#q=social+contract
Jean-Jacques Rousseau said that.
Yes. That is his definition of the "social contract". Locke had a similar idea. Can you find it?
"He came up with the idea that people, not god, gave the ruler the right to rule, and because of this if ever the government was not doing its job correctly then it is the people’s right to overthrow and change the government."
The concept of a "social contract" refers to an agreement or understanding between the government and its citizens. It is a theoretical concept that suggests that individuals give up certain rights and freedoms in exchange for the protection and benefits offered by the government. This idea was developed by political philosophers such as John Locke, Charles de Montesquieu, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau.
According to John Locke, the social contract is based on the premise that individuals are born with natural rights of life, liberty, and property. They willingly enter into a contract with the government, granting it the authority to rule and safeguard these rights. In return, the government is responsible for protecting and preserving those rights. If the government fails to fulfill its obligations or violates the principles of the social contract, individuals have the right to challenge or even overthrow it.
Montesquieu built upon Locke's ideas by emphasizing the separation of powers within the government, ensuring checks and balances. He believed that a healthy judiciary branch acts as a safeguard against potential abuses of power by the executive and legislative branches, and thereby maintains the social contract.
Rousseau's perspective on the social contract is slightly different. He argued that individuals in a state of nature are naturally self-serving and harmful, and so they come together to form a government through a social contract. In this contract, citizens give up some of their individual freedoms for the greater good and the protection of the general will. Rousseau advocated for direct democracy, where citizens directly participate in decision-making, as he believed it was the best way to uphold the social contract and protect the interests of the majority.
Overall, the concept of a social contract emphasizes the reciprocal relationship between the government and its citizens, with each having rights and responsibilities in the arrangement. It is a foundational principle of modern democratic theory and serves as a basis for understanding the obligations and expectations of governments in relation to their citizens.