Question

how is the united states government based upon john locke's idea of a social contract, cite ideas from the first amendment to support your answer. PLEASE HELP I HAVE AN HOUR TO GET THIS ESSAY QUESTION TURNED IN!

Answer 1

The U.S. government and the First Amendment embody John Locke's social contract theory through protecting individual rights such as speech, press, and religion, reflecting the balance of people's consent to be governed and the government's duty to safeguard liberties.

Step-by-step explanation:

The United States government reflects John Locke's social contract theory through its structure and principles, particularly in the First Amendment. Locke's notions that a government’s legitimacy is derived from the consent of the governed and its duty to safeguard the rights of life, liberty, and property are mirrored in the Constitution's purpose to protect citizens' rights. The First Amendment, for instance, safeguards freedoms like speech, press, religion, assembly, and petition, thereby preserving the individuals’ rights within the government-society relationship.

John Locke's impact on the founders of the United States is evident as they rejected the concept of a monarchy established by divine right, favoring a representative government. This choice was governed by Locke's principle that government arises from the people's collective agreement to surrender some liberties in return for the government’s protection of their fundamental rights, a concept that underpins the democracy established in the United States.

In the specific context of the First Amendment, Locke's argument for the separation of church and state and the natural right to liberty of conscience influenced its provisions. This protection ensures that the government cannot infringe upon these rights, reflecting Locke’s social contract where people agree to some government authority, but not to the extent that it violates their basic liberties. The limitations of governmental power over individual rights, as stated in the First Amendment, embody Locke’s vision of a balanced society where the social contract is maintained.

Answer 2

Social contract theory basically says that all individuals are born equal, and provided a god given right to consent to be governed. American Government is based of this

Thomas Hobbes and John Locke said that we are selfish, individualistic, and constantly at war with each other, therefore we need to be controlled.

Government is defined as the legitimate use of force to control human behavior within territorial boundaries, here comes in Hobbes and Locke.
Hobbes takes the part about controlling human behavior. While Locke takes the part of legitimate use of force, since force is not legitimate unless there is consent of the people.

There are basically 3 goals of the government: 1) Maintain Order by protecting life and property. 2) Providing public goods, those which are typically not provided by the public sector, such as roads and education. 3) Promote Equality be it political, opportunist or outcome equality.