Question

Please- Need a quick answer! The U.S. government is based upon John Locke's idea of a social contract, but the nation has changed since 1789, and thus, so has the interpretation of the social contract. Provide examples of how the social contract was first interpreted by the Framers and then how the interpretation has evolved. Decide whether you think the main focus of the contract still holds as intended by the framers, more than 200 years later. Use specific landmark Supreme Court case as examples to support your answer.

Answer 1

The social contract theory as interpreted by the Framers focused on protecting individual rights and property with limited government power. Over time, the interpretation has evolved, expanding government authority. Marbury v. Madison upheld the initial interpretation, while Gibbons v. Ogden expanded government power.

Step-by-step explanation:

The social contract theory, based on the ideas of John Locke and Jean Jacques Rousseau, formed the basis of the U.S. government as envisioned by the Framers. Initially, the interpretation of the social contract by the Framers focused on protecting individual rights and property while ensuring limited government power. However, over time, the interpretation of the social contract has evolved, leading to expansions of government authority and interpretations of the contract by the Supreme Court.

One example of the initial interpretation of the contract is the concept of limited government power. The Supreme Court case of Marbury v. Madison (1803) affirmed the power of judicial review, allowing the court to strike down laws that violate the Constitution. This upheld the idea of checks and balances and limited the government's ability to infringe upon individual rights.

However, the interpretation of the social contract has evolved over the years, leading to expansions of government authority. The case of Gibbons v. Ogden (1824) expanded the federal government's power over interstate commerce, illustrating the shift towards a broader interpretation of the government's role in regulating economic activities.

In conclusion, while the main focus of the social contract, protecting individual rights and property, still holds true, the interpretation of the contract has evolved to accommodate changing societal needs and challenges. The Supreme Court cases mentioned demonstrate how the interpretation has expanded government power while maintaining the underlying principles of the social contract.

Answer 2

From the Framers point of view, the social contract theory was based on the idea that people come together to form a society wherein they provide power to a government in exchange for security, protection, and welfare. Today, social contract is not considered as the agreement that provides all the powers of the government since there are powers that are not a result of what the people offer or demand.