Question

A social contract is the concept that ________________________________________________.

A. people should be governed by a separation of powers.
B. people should be governed through representation.
C. people should be governed by one person.
D. people should be governed with the freedom to speak and practice religion.

Answer 1

The social contract theory posits a conceptual agreement between the people and their government, where personal freedoms are exchanged for protection and order, and governments must maintain the consent of the governed. The correct option is D.

Step-by-step explanation:

A social contract is the concept that there exists a metaphorical agreement between the governed and the government, wherein individuals relinquish certain freedoms in exchange for social order and protection. According to theorists such as Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau, the contract also dictates that the government must operate with the consent of the people who maintain the right to withdraw their consent.

This theory underlines the balance of power between the authority of the state and the rights of individuals, emphasizing that a legitimate government must protect individual rights and respond to the will of the people.