BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN MEDIA TECHNOLOGY

World History

By

Mr. Wekwaba Julius

The relevance of Thomas Hobbes’ Theory of Social contract to the Modern World

By

Isma (Izaac) Wambi

JO12/BSMT/U008

February 2015
 INTRODUCTION

Thomas Hobbes was one of the first post renaissance philosophers who lived from 1588 to1679.
He was English and therefore, he lived in England though he went in exile for a certain period of
time. His ideas were very crucial in criticizing the political ideas of governments that were in
power. However, governments defined his philosophies as a way to establish hierarchical forms
of leadership characterized with social order that would guarantee their stay in power. His most
dominant ideas contributed to “The Social Contract Theory”.

Historically, the social contract theory was introduced by early thinkers; Hugo Grotius, John
Locke, and Thomas Hobbes, the one being focused at, in this piece of work. It originated with a
presupposition of legitimate political power, as well as advocating for equality, and freedom -
laws that were believed to be part of nature for all human beings (Neidleman, 2012).

THE SOCIAL CONTRACT THEORY

According to Addison (2011), the social Contract of Thomas Hobbes referred to the ideology of
establishment of moral rules that govern relations among people. It just points on the need to
have social order. As the term social comes from society, so “contract “means an agreement.
People have to treat others with respect and follow some basic human rules agreed upon
(Browne, n.d).

Browne (n.d), still suggests that Hobbes thought that without this contract, society would be
nasty, dangerous, unbounded, criminal, and disgusting. As highlighted earlier, the social contract
was still developed by several philosophers like Jean Jacques Rousseau who took another step by
affirming that in the society, no one was above rules. This prevented society from enacting bad
rules against themselves and the government. The theory also attacked comprehensive systems
of political philosophy, and it still does so up to date.

In all, the social contract theory articulates that morality consist a set of rules, governing how
people accept to treat one another, for their mutual benefit, on the condition that others follow
those same rules, and practice them.

In this document, the relevance of the social contract of Thomas Hobbes to the modern world
will be explained in a summarized manner.

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 THE RELEVANCE OF THOMAS HOBBES’ THEORY OF SOCIAL CONTRACT TO
THE MODERN WORLD

They are as explained below;

Natural Liberty guarantee / laws of the state of nature

The social contract theory has led to natural liberty guarantee, which has availed the ownership
of human rights. Originally, this conception was derived from a myth that individuals lived in a
natural condition characterized with the state of nature. In the state of nature, people were
completely free and natural of all religious and social rights. There would be no control, no
government, and no courts of law. However, the thesis foundation of the theory argues that, these
natural characteristics of the state of nature of rational individuals are the basis for creating a free
rational government, according to their liberty. The law or state of nature also refers to the idea
that human beings must strive for peace, which is best achieved through an agreement known as
the social contract, bringing liberty, and not through violence.

Reflecting this to the modern world, rationalists have been guaranteed natural liberty; the liberty
to worship, judge, elect, fight for their rights, and participate in decision making.

Freedom in the modern world

The social contract theory of Thomas Hobbes centered on morality among people. This meant
that people had to exercise their freedom as well as those in power to offer it to them (Addison,
2011). On the other hand, John Locke’s theory in the social contract focused on the notion that
only a small amount of freedom had to be given to people. However, the social contracts theory
has offered freedom to people in the modern world, and it is serving its rational interests thus, it
is relevant.

Promotion of Rational Interests

According to Addison (2011), the social contract theory of Thomas Hobbes advocated for
rational interests of publics. It upheld the fact that rational individuals form a government. On
top of this, the government was given the responsibility to protect the property and lives of
rationalists, which is being practiced by almost every government on a global basis. However,

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the social contract challenges rational individuals to over throw the government in case if it
violates people’s rights. This has promoted rational interests, and justifies why what seems to be
bad governments are over thrown today.

Equality

According to the social contract theory, the government can be responsible for assuring an equal
opportunity to own and accumulate private property. This meant or means that individuals in the
modern world are perfectly equal in the state of nature as they compete for the resources
available. As people view the world they live in as “no one is better than the other”, the social
contract theory has been relevant towards promoting equality.

In the modern world, the problem of equality can be seen through three major characteristics of
human need summarized below;

a. Equality of human need – All individuals have almost the same needs including
food, clothing, and shelter. Can everyone access these equally?
b. Scarcity of resources – Individuals fight for scarce resources within their
environment. Thus, it is difficult for everyone to possess the same.
c. The equality of human power – All people fight to have what to control, or what
to have authority over, and whom they can lead. Can there be equality?
Truly, the above characteristics would put human nature in tragedy, without the ideas of Thomas
Hobbes in the social contract. There would be absence of social order. But Hobbes’ emphasis on
equality has led to contentment in the modern world. People are able to be satisfied with the little
they have by equating it to what is great through the contract.

Promotion of Justice and Relations

Another relevance of the social contract theory of Thomas Hobbes to the modern world is the
promotion of Justice, and relations among individuals, and states. Neidleman (2012), argues that
there are two major dimensions of the social contract theory. The first one is referred to as the
“empirical dimension”, which explains the historical structures of the origin of the state. To me,
this means that geographical features may form a state.

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The second dimension is the “normative dimension”. It accounts for the principles of justice that
make a state legitimate or real. This reveals the fact that a state is made up of people, and not
trees, land, or buildings, though they contribute to what it is.
These two dimensions are very important in making us understand the principles of justice,
which binds citizens of different nations in their relations with one another. They also argue a
call to unveil why different national state governments, interact to form relations and sign
treaties. It is all done pointing at the thoughts of early fore fathers of the theory, most especially
Hobbes and John Locke.
Therefore, the matter that the social contract theory is a flag bearer of justice and relations
among modern nations is not just hypothetical. An example of this can be the economic relations
between Uganda and the United States. They interact because there is a social agreement that
binds the two together.

Rise of sovereignty
As we have seen that the social contract theory is built on the belief that people are equal, and
morality grants it so, it is important that this very element contributes to the rise of sovereignty
among states and individuals. Thus, it should not be seen as irrelevant.
From a religious, as well as a historical perspective, sovereign powers come from God
(Neidleman, 2012). God created Adam and gave him authority. When Adam died, his eldest son
took over authority, and this took place generation after generation as the chosen Israelites
descendants ruled nation after nation in the Bible. God chose King David, and it is through his
linage that Jesus came. Power is passed from sovereign individuals to others not to the weak.
Political sovereignty can be linked to this!
Relating to the works of Thomas Hobbes, his ideas assumed that patriarchal leadership authority
moved from the power of fathers to their Children, justifying why sovereign powers rise, and
seen worthy for them (Filmer, 1991). This is because the theory grants equality and thus,
whoever feels sovereign has to practice it.
Individual interest
From an ideological view, the current views of Thomas Hobbes’ social contract ideas assume
that individualism is the basis of seeking power, an evil approach (Matt, 2011). But people need

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to seek it, in order to survive. On the other hand, John Locke supposed that people make right
choices basing on their individual level.
To place this on deeper perspective, there is need to look at the United States system consisting
of a central sovereign – a president with a supporting congress to serve as a protector from
outside forces (Szelenyi, 2012). He is responsible to make individual decisions for Americans
that are not meant to be decided by Americans themselves. This brings back the idea of morality.
People have to be moral by adhering to the president’s decisions. It also points out another focus
of the social contract that “the government should not entitle full rights to its citizens”.

CONCLUSION
In conclusion, it is very difficult to understand if the social contract theory can justify all the
moral obligations in our modern societies. There is one demerit we have to think about as we
center on morality and the state of nature which says that I have my rights and you have yours.
Treat me right, I treat you right. I am free to practice liberty, equality, and so forth.
There is need for being skeptical a little bit. The fact that you can’t steal your neighbor’s
property doesn’t stop him or her from stealing yours.
However, it is true that the social contract allows us to live in harmony with others. Therefore it
important to recognize its relevancies to the modern world discussed in this piece of work.

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 REFERENCES

Addison, P. (2011). The Social Contract. Pearson Education, Inc. Wesley.

Browne, Kevin J. (n.d). Introduction to the Social Contract Theory [Web log article]. Retrieved
from
http://www2.econ.iastate.edu/classes/econ362/hallam/Readings/SocialContractHelium.

Filmer, R. (1991). “Patriarchal” and Other Writings. Cambridge University Press.

Matt, C. (2011). John Locke & Thomas Hobbes: Social Contract Theory, Its Roots in Natural
Law and Effect on the U.S. Public Administration [Web log Message]. Retrieved from
https://mattcharlesdpa.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/padm-9000_administration-and-
government.pdf
Neidleman J. (2012). The Social Contract Theory in a Global Context [Web Log Message].
Retrieved from http://www.e-ir.info/2012/10/09/the-social-contract-theory-in-a-global-
context
Szelenyi, I. (2011). Yale University; Foundations of Modern Social Theory [Web Log Message].
Retrieved from oyc.yale.edu/sociology/socy-151

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