Locke’s Social Contract Theory:
The description of Locke’s social contract theory can be done with the help of the following points.
1. Human Nature:
With regard to human behaviour, Locke presents positive views. Hobbes gives recognition of savage attributes in humans. Simultaneously, he accepts human qualities also. Locke accepts a human as articulate and intelligent. According to Locke, there are attributes such as love, sympathy, mercy, cooperation, charity, etc. which are embedded in humans as humanitarian natural virtues. He derives direction of life from natural laws.
2. Natural state:
Locke has portrayed the positive side of humans in the description of natural state. According to him, natural state was the state of peace, goodwill, mutual cooperation, and safety. All the persons were equal in natural state. This was the state of freedom, not the state of licentiousness, because the people respected natural and moral rules and conventions. There was no system of ‘accepted’ explanation of natural laws. People used to analyze natural laws as per their wisdom. According to Locke, All the individuals had three rights in natural state:
- Right to life
- Right to freedom
- Right to property
3. Causes of contract:
Despite having peaceful life in natural state in accordance with natural laws, the people started facing three inconveniences
- Natural rules were not clear
- There was no institution or any unbiased judge to explain the natural laws,
- There was no power to supervise the enforcement of authorized decisions as per natural rules.
4. Form of Contract:
According to Locke, all the people came to terms and got two contracts made. In the first contract, a society was formed, ending the natural state. The second contract was between the king and the people, wherein the people authorized the ruler to frame laws, explain and enforce them. However, the king was restricted in respect of his power that the laws framed by him should be in accordance with natural laws. The formation of the state was by the second contract. If the administrator works against public interests, then the society has the right to oust him from power.
5. Characteristics of the contract:
1. Establishment of the state is as per the people’s wish. Here, the state is the result of public consensus,
2. In the process of contract for the formation of the state, there were two cor contracts in place of one. By the first contract, a society of citizens was formed by the second contract, the state was established.
3. Under the first contract, all place indicate there right not to a person or group of persons, but to the entire society.
4. In the second contra ct, the king is also a party, and as such, it is the responsibility of the king that he safe guards the natural rights of the people.
5. The ruler is a partner of the contract and as such all conditions of the contracts are applicable upon him.
6. By the contract, there establishes a limited and benign monarchy.
7. The contract makes the distinction between the state and the government. The first is stable, whereas the second is unstable. Both are having different sets of works. In this way, this principle supports the division power.
8. This theory authorizes the people, for revolution against despotic ruler.
