Social Contract in the Declaration of Independence: The concept of the social contract played a significant role in the philosophical and political foundations of the Declaration of Independence. The social contract theory, popularized by philosophers such as John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Thomas Hobbes, posits that individuals form societies and governments based on an implicit agreement or contract. This agreement involves sacrificing certain natural rights and freedoms in exchange for the protection of other rights and the common good provided by a governing authority.
In the context of the Declaration of Independence, the social contract is implicit in the document’s justification for independence from British rule. The Declaration asserts that governments derive their legitimacy from the consent of the governed and that their primary purpose is to secure the natural rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. If a government fails to uphold its end of the social contract by violating these rights or becoming tyrannical, the people have the right to alter or abolish that government and institute a new one that better safeguards their rights.
Social Contract in the Declaration of Independence
Key Phrases Reflecting the Social Contract in the Declaration of Independence:
- “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” This famous passage from the Declaration emphasizes the notion of unalienable rights and the idea that individuals have inherent rights that cannot be taken away arbitrarily by governments.
- “That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed…” This phrase acknowledges the purpose of government as securing rights and asserts that the power of government is derived from the consent of the people.
- “…whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.” This passage encapsulates the social contract theory by asserting that the people have the right to change or overthrow a government that violates their rights or fails to serve their well-being.
- “But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government…” Here, the Declaration highlights the duty of the people to resist and reject a government that becomes despotic and infringes upon their rights.
In essence, the Declaration of Independence embodies the principles of the social contract theory by articulating the idea that governments exist to protect the rights of individuals and that the people have the right to alter or abolish a government that breaches its obligations under the social contract. This philosophical foundation provided the moral and intellectual basis for the American colonies’ assertion of independence and their subsequent pursuit of self-governance.
Steve George is Blogger, a marketer and content writer. He has B.A. in Economics from the University of Washington. Read more about Mzuri Mag.
