The social contract theory suggests that individuals consent to surrender some liberties to the state in exchange for protection and maintenance of other rights, with the stipulation that they can withdraw consent if the government fails to protect these rights.
Step-by-step explanation:
The social contract theory posits that individuals in a society agree to give up certain freedoms and submit to the authority of the state in exchange for protection of their remaining rights and maintenance of the social order. Influential thinkers such as John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Thomas Hobbes each had distinct interpretations of this theory. Locke and Rousseau, in particular, maintained that the legitimacy of government derives from the consent of the governed, and that the people have the right to overthrow a government that fails to protect their rights. Rousseau's The Social Contract emphasizes that a government should secure freedom and equality for its citizens, reflecting his belief that 'man is born free, but everywhere he is in chains.'
Under social contract theory, citizens surrender natural rights to the state, which then has the responsibility to enforce laws and justice, thereby ensuring the protection and welfare of its citizens. When the government fails to fulfill its role, the citizens have the right to withdraw their consent and seek to establish a new government that better serves their interests. The theory has been utilized to justify democratic principles as well as some forms of absolute monarchy, with the Enlightenment era providing a backdrop for its development and application in the creation of political institutions such as constitutional governments.