The social contract obligates individuals to follow the sovereign's commands from "summary" of Hobbes: Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes
In the Commonwealth, individuals have agreed to surrender their natural rights and submit to the authority of the sovereign. This agreement, known as the social contract, binds every citizen to obey the commands of the sovereign. The sovereign, whether a monarch or an assembly, is the embodiment of the collective will of the people and is entrusted with the power to make and enforce laws for the common good. By entering into the social contract, individuals acknowledge that their own self-interest must be subordinated to the interests of the community as a whole. They agree to relinquish their right to act according to their own judgments and instead defer to the decisions of the sovereign. In return, the sovereign is responsible for protecting the lives and property of its subjects and maintaining peace and order within the Commonwealth. This mutual agreement forms the basis of political authority and serves to prevent the state of nature, characterized by a constant state of war and conflict, from reemerging. Without the social contract, there would be no legitimate authority to arbitrate disputes and enforce laws, leading to chaos and anarchy. While individuals retain the right to defend themselves in cases of self-preservation, they must ultimately defer to the sovereign's judgment in matters of law and justice. Disobedience to the sovereign is tantamount to breaking the social contract and undermines the stability and security of the Commonwealth.- The social contract establishes a reciprocal relationship between the ruler and the ruled, wherein individuals agree to obey the commands of the sovereign in exchange for protection and security. This obligation to follow the sovereign's commands is not merely a matter of duty but a necessary condition for the preservation of civil society. It is through the social contract that individuals are able to live together peacefully and coexist within a structured political community.
Similar Posts
Political decisions are not based on morality but on necessity
In the realm of politics, decisions are often governed by the imperative of necessity rather than the constraints of morality. ...
Limits of government power
The concept of limits on government power is a critical component of any political system. Without such constraints, the potent...
Customs establish societal order
The foundation upon which early societies were built is the customs that they followed. These customs served as the rules that ...
The state has the right to determine who is a friend or enemy
According to Carl Schmitt, the state plays a crucial role in defining the distinction between friend and enemy. This distinctio...
The sovereign's power is derived from the consent of the people
The power of the sovereign, that is to say, the authority that is vested in the ruler, comes not from some divine right or inhe...
The road to serfdom is a warning against totalitarianism
In our current political climate, many are tempted to believe that central planning and government control can solve all of soc...