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What's a social contract?

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abskebabs Posted: Sat, Feb 13 2010 9:54 AM

I see this catchword/chimera get thrown about by pro-government leftists and statists.

 

What precisely is the meaning of the term "social contract"?

 

Also, having defined this, could you tell me what you think of the consistency or usefulness of this concept.

 

Or is it just simply "bullplop", made up at the sight of danger to justify monopolist coercion as a means to "maintain society?"

"When the King is far the people are happy."  Chinese proverb

For Alexander Zinoviev and the free market there is a shared delight:

"Where there are problems there is life."

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ladyattis replied on Sat, Feb 13 2010 10:22 AM

It's a concept from the time of Locke and Hume where the idea was that by being in proximity to humans in the same locality that you consented to the laws and traditions of that locality which those humans supported. It's a messed up notion, but I might be wrong on its exact formulation.

"The power of liberty going forward is in decentralization.  Not in leaders, but in decentralized activism.  In a market process." -- liberty student

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A social construct.

Freedom of markets is positively correlated with the degree of evolution in any society...

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Nielsio replied on Sat, Feb 13 2010 11:12 AM

abskebabs:

I see this catchword/chimera get thrown about by pro-government leftists and statists.

 

What precisely is the meaning of the term "social contract"?

 

Also, having defined this, could you tell me what you think of the consistency or usefulness of this concept.

 

Or is it just simply "bullplop", made up at the sight of danger to justify monopolist coercion as a means to "maintain society?"

There is one social contract and only one: don't hurt people and don't take their stuff. If a person isn't willing to abide by that rule, then he has no place in society.

EVERYBODY knows this; which is why everyone tries to hide their aggression against a fellow man.

Case in point:

Paying income tax in America is 'Voluntary'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7mRSI8yWwg

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Ansury replied on Mon, Feb 15 2010 3:41 AM

The definition of the term can vary slightly depending on who you're talking to.  It's basically an excuse for government's existence I guess.

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/550994/social-contract

Above link might help (it's short, I promise).

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/locke/#SocConThe 

Above may be a bunch of rubbish but it's "interesting" (section 3.3).
Quote: Thus, the social contract is not inextricably linked to democracy. 

(Yes, but it seems pretty well linked to tyranny put the way this source has it!)

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Conza88 replied on Mon, Feb 15 2010 3:49 AM

Smile

It's bs.

Ron Paul is for self-government when compared to the Constitution. He's an anarcho-capitalist. Proof.
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abskebabs replied on Mon, Feb 15 2010 5:25 PM

Conza88:

Smile

It's bs.

Yes Thanks.

"When the King is far the people are happy."  Chinese proverb

For Alexander Zinoviev and the free market there is a shared delight:

"Where there are problems there is life."

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