The drawbacks / criticism of the Social Contract Theory of Locke:
The following are the main drawbacks for the criticism of Locke’s Social Contract Theory:
- Impractical portrayal of natural state:
Locke describes the natural state as largely moral, pleasant, but the historical search into the primitive period terms this concept as unilateral. The people were not so much peaceful and ethical in the natural state.
- Defective explanation of natural rights:
Locke talks about the existence of rights of property and freedom to life in the natural state, whereas it seems merely an imagination of existence of rights prior to political society.
- Unilateral explanation of human behaviour:
Locke sees only the goodness of human behaviour, while both the negative elements-selfishness and charity are also found in it.
- Legal sovereignty not recognized:
Locke accepts the importance of political sovereignty, but does not recognize the principle of legal sovereignty.
