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Single Idea 18635

[filed under theme 24. Political Theory / B. Nature of a State / 2. State Legitimacy / c. Social contract ]

Full Idea

Social contract theories have all been subjected to the same criticism - that there never was such a state of nature, or such a contract. Hence neither citizens nor government are bound by it. Contracts only create obligations if they are actually agreed.

Gist of Idea

Social contract theories are usually rejected because there never was such a contract

Source

Will Kymlicka (Contemporary Political Philosophy (1st edn) [1990], 3.3)

Book Ref

Kymlicka,Will: 'Contemporary Political Philosophy (1st edn)' [OUP 1992], p.59

A Reaction

Even if they have been agreed in the past, why should subsequent generations be bound to them? Modern Germans aren't bound by their grandparents' oaths of allegiance to fascism.

The 29 ideas from 'Contemporary Political Philosophy (1st edn)'

18623 The quest of the general good is partly undermined by people's past entitlements [Kymlicka]
18624 Utilitarianism is not a decision-procedure; choice of the best procedure is an open question [Kymlicka]
18626 One view says start with equality, and infer equal weight to interests, and hence maximum utility [Kymlicka]
18650 Teleological theories give the good priority over concern for people [Kymlicka]
18651 The most valuable liberties to us need not be the ones with the most freedom [Kymlicka]
18652 The Lockean view of freedom depends on whether you had a right to what is restricted [Kymlicka]
18627 A second view says start with maximising the good, implying aggregation, and hence equality [Kymlicka]
18625 To maximise utility should we double the population, even if life somewhat deteriorates? [Kymlicka]
18628 We shouldn't endorse preferences which reject equality, and show prejudice and selfishness [Kymlicka]
18630 Utilitarianism is no longer a distinctive political position [Kymlicka]
18629 Using utilitarian principles to make decisions encourages cold detachment from people [Kymlicka]
18632 Liberalism tends to give priority to basic liberties [Kymlicka]
18633 Equal opportunities seems fair, because your fate is from your choices, not your circumstances [Kymlicka]
18634 Equal opportunity arbitrarily worries about social circumstances, but ignores talents [Kymlicka]
18637 Utilitarianism is irrational if it tells you to trade in your rights and resources just for benefits [Kymlicka]
18635 Social contract theories are usually rejected because there never was such a contract [Kymlicka]
18638 The difference principles says we must subsidise the costs of other people's choices [Kymlicka]
18640 Libertarians like the free market, but they also think that the free market is just [Kymlicka]
18649 If everyone owned himself, that would prevent slavery [Kymlicka]
18654 Marxists say justice is unneeded in the truly good community [Kymlicka]
18655 Justice corrects social faults, but also expresses respect to individuals as ends [Kymlicka]
18656 Marxists say liberalism is unjust, because it allows exploitation in the sale of labour [Kymlicka]
18657 Communitarian states only encourage fairly orthodox ideas of the good life [Kymlicka]
18659 The 'Kantian' view of the self misses the way it is embedded or situated in society [Kymlicka]
18658 The 'Kantian' self steps back from commitment to its social situation [Kymlicka]
18660 Communitarians say we should pay more attention to our history [Kymlicka]
18661 Ancient freedom was free participation in politics, not private independence of life [Kymlicka]
18663 Modern liberalism has added personal privacy to our personal social lives [Kymlicka]
18664 Maybe the particularist moral thought of women is better than the impartial public thinking of men [Kymlicka]