Question

Under the social contract theory how do leaders gain the right to rule

Answer 1

Leaders gain the right to rule under social contract theory with the consent of the governed, who agree to give up certain freedoms in exchange for order and protection of rights. Consent establishes a government's authority and legitimacy, and citizens can withdraw consent if the government fails to fulfill its obligations.

Step-by-step explanation:

How Do Leaders Gain the Right to Rule Under Social Contract Theory?

Under social contract theory, leaders gain the right to rule with the consent of the governed. Essentially, people in a society agree to give up some of their natural rights and freedoms in exchange for the protection of their remaining rights and the maintenance of order. This consent establishes a government's authority and legitimacy. Philosophers like Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau have each presented variations of this theory. Hobbes believed in surrendering power to an absolute sovereign for protection, while Rousseau advocated for a government that reflects the general will of the people, with leaders being electable and replaceable according to the populace's wishes. Locke's vision was one where the government's primary role is to protect the rights of the citizens, who have the right to overthrow it should it fail to do so.

Furthermore, the theory posits that if a government does not fulfill its end of the social contract, such as failing to protect natural rights or the general will, citizens retain the right to withdraw their consent. This withdrawal could manifest as electing new leaders or, in more extreme cases, revolting against the current government. In contemporary practice, such as in the United States, this translates into concepts like popular sovereignty, where legitimacy and power are assigned to those elected to govern, contingent upon their continued fulfillment of the social contract as interpreted through the Constitution and the will of the people.

Answer 2

By the consent of the people over whom they rule.

The "social contract" refers to an implicit agreement between a government and the citizens of the society overseen by that government. Philosophers of the Enlightenment era were famous for arguing the idea of a "social contract." According to this view, a government's power to govern comes from the consent of the people themselves -- those who are to be governed. This was a change from the previous ideas of "divine right monarchy" -- that a king ruled because God appointed him to be the ruler. One of the most influential of the social contract theorists was John Locke, who repudiated the views of divine right monarchy in his First Treatise on Civil Government. In his Second Treatise on Civil Government, Locke then argued for the rights of the people to create their own governments according to their own desires and for the sake of protecting and enhancing their own life, liberty, and property.