Social Contract

A detailed Summary of Social Contract


It might not be possible to live an ethical and law abiding life and still be able to maintain control of our destiny without being crushed by outside powers. However, we should try if we want to live as part of a community, we should try because we'll be going back to a state of Nature if we don't.

When Jean Jacques Rousseau wrote "The Social Contract" he stated that "...a point was reached in the history of mankind when the obstacles to continuing in a state of Nature were stronger than the forces which each individual could employ to the end of continuing in it." (Rousseau, p.179) and that "...the human race would have perished had it not changed its manner of existence." (Rousseau, p.179).

Thanks to this Social Contract individuals have abandoned a state of Nature where ethic and laws did not exist and they became instead a community developing a "...some sort of central direction..." (Rousseau, p.179) and learning how "...to act in concert..." (Rousseau, p.179).

Even when outside powers can control our destiny we should never stop trying to live an ethi


When District Attorney Banales posted a yard sign on James Williams' first-floor apartment warning "... DANGER. Registered Sex Offender Lives Here." (Duggan) or when he ordered to put stickers in Williams' car saying "... DANGER. Registered Sex Offender In Vehicle" (Duggan) he didn't realize that he was in fact taking away rights, constitutional rights, from Williams. He was taking away his right to privacy. Williams paid his debt to society but Balanes states that "This is a matter of public safety. I have a responsibility to protect the community." (Duggan), but like Paul Duggan says "...At what point do the measures cease to be reasonable and become punitive?" (Duggan). If we start taking away rights from citizens we might be taking that first step toward the slippery slope again.

However, as an individual within a community we have to be very careful when we enforce these laws. Jean Jacques Rousseau says "...that whoever shall refuse to obey the general will must be constrained by the whole body of his fellow citizens to do so." (Rousseau, p.184) but what'

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Approximate Word count = 720
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Politics

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