Question

Choose the principle found in the Social Contract theory that match the quote from the Declaration of Independence.

When becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another...a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which separation.

a) Rousseau's belief that the state is accountable to society
b) Hobbes' view that man is accountable to the state
c) Rousseau's state of nature that gave man unchecked freedom, which could result in conflicts
d) Locke's belief that man must submit himself to a common authority with power to enact laws and maintain order

Answer 1

The quote from the Declaration of Independence aligns with Rousseau's belief that the state is accountable to society, where the state must uphold the general will and protect citizens' rights, or the people have the right to establish a new government.

Step-by-step explanation:

The social contract theory addresses the legitimacy and authority of the state over the individual. In the context of the Declaration of Independence, the quote emphasizes the right of people to dissolve the political bands that have connected them with another, particularly if the government does not protect the natural rights of the people and uphold the common good. This principle aligns closely with John Locke's theory of the social contract rather than with Rousseau or Hobbes. Locke's view posits that the government is accountable to the people, and should the state fail to protect the rights of the people, then it is the right of those people to alter or abolish the government.

Regarding the options provided, the quote from the Declaration of Independence most closely matches a) Rousseau's belief that the state is accountable to society. This aligns with Rousseau's idea of the social contract where if the state does not fulfill its duties to uphold the general will and protect the rights of the citizens, then the social contract is broken and the people have the right to form a new government.