FOAG - Social Contract Theory and Declaration of Independence Lesson
Social Contract Theory and Declaration of Independence
The Social Contract Theory, written by John Locke, is a written philosophy that explains the moral and political obligations or agreement of an individual's rights and duties within a society in which they live. The Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson, announces the separation between the thirteen colonies and Great Britain. The Declaration of Independence and the Social Contract Theory are similar in many ways but also have their differences. Please refer to the comparison and contrast chart below to learn more about the differences of each.
| Social Contract Theory | Declaration of Independence | |
|---|---|---|
| Reason for Government |
To maintain social order through the rule of law. It can also be thought of as an agreement by the governed on a set of rules by which they are governed. "Life, Liberty, and Property" |
To protect and support the citizens' "natural rights".
"Life, Liberty, and Happiness" |
|
Action if government |
When problems occur within the contract, citizens may renegotiate to change the terms, using methods such as elections and legislature. If this doesn't work, then they have the right to rebel.
|
People have certain rights, and when a government violates these rights, the people have the right to "alter or abolish" that government |
| Influential Political Philosophers |
Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau |
Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Richard Henry Lee
|
Founding Fathers
The basic documents of a society reflect the basic values a society recognizes as necessary to the well-being of its citizens. Laws are anchored in values. In fact, laws codify societal values. Sometimes, we disagree with a law, but adhere to it in order to maintain good-standing and do what is right in society. History is loaded with examples of individuals who disagreed with others' values and took actions by threatening membership in society as well as their own lives.
Our country was founded by revolutionaries who rejected British laws. We typically call these revolutionaries, or leaders, the Founding Fathers!
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