Social Contract Theory

Social Contract and Sovereignty

• In a state of nature, individuals are in a precarious situation, and their nature is voluntary or involuntary submission to a sovereign.
• The sovereign has the ultimate ownership and right, not only over their own rights but also those of the citizens.
• The principal advantages of remaining sovereign lie in the sovereign's ability to make laws and enforce them.

Fear of Death and Sovereignty

• The fear of death is a crucial element in maintaining order in civil society, as it allows the sovereign to maintain control.
• In a Hobbesian society, the fear of death from the sovereign's sword is greater than the fear of violence from one's neighbors.
• This fear is necessary for the efficiency of the sovereign, as it ensures that subjects comply with laws and commands.

Civil Society and Fear

• In civil society, individuals exchange a general fear of sudden death by everyone else's hands for a specific fear of violent death from the sovereign's sword.
• This fear exchange is what makes social life possible, as it allows individuals to live in a relatively stable and secure environment.
• Hobbes' point is that in civil society, men live in a state of fear, but this fear is overridden by a more specific fear of the sovereign.

Analogy with Psychiatric Medicine

• The Hobbesian state of nature can be compared to a generalized phobic condition, where individuals are frightened of everyone and everything.
• This can lead to a paralysis of the will, making it difficult for individuals to take action.
• The "cure" for this condition starts when the individual can identify what they are afraid of, which is similar to the idea that in civil society, individuals are able to identify and fear the sovereign's power.

This quiz explores the concept of social contract, the relationship between the sovereign and citizens, and the balance of rights and ownership. It delves into the philosophical ideas of the state of nature and the role of the sovereign in a community.