Sep 26, 2025 · Social contract, in political philosophy, an actual or hypothetical compact, or agreement, between the ruled and their rulers, defining the rights and duties of each.

From this shared premise, social contract theorists aim to demonstrate why rational individuals would voluntarily relinquish their natural freedom in exchange for the benefits of political order.

Feb 11, 2025 · The social contract is a foundational concept in both political philosophy and sociology, rooted in the idea that individuals collectively agree to form a society and abide by …

Social contract theory, nearly as old as philosophy itself, is the view that persons’ moral and/or political obligations are dependent upon a contract or agreement among them to form the …

Social Contract Theory is a philosophical concept that suggests individuals consent, either explicitly or implicitly, to surrender some of their freedoms and submit to the authority of a …

Aug 27, 2023 · A social contract is an agreement among individuals within a social group to abide by certain rules and laws for mutual safety and defence. In its modern form, the idea was …

Oct 16, 2025 · The meaning of SOCIAL CONTRACT is an actual or hypothetical agreement among the members of an organized society or between a community and its ruler that defines …

SOCIAL CONTRACT meaning: 1. an agreement among the members of a society or between a society and its rulers about the rights…. Learn more.

The social contract in political philosophy refers to an implicit agreement between individuals and the state, where citizens consent to surrender certain rights in exchange for protection and the …

Under a theory first articulated by Plato in his Socratic dialog Crito, members within a society implicitly agree to the terms of the social contract by their choice to stay within the society.