Kontrak sosial

Kontrak sosial merupakan suatu teori atau model dalam falsafah politik yang menekan mengenai hubungan antara asal-usul sesebuah masyarakat itu dengan tampuk kekuasaan mereka yang memerintah dalam sesebuah negara terhadap individu dalam masyarakat.^[1] Terdapat penghujahan bahawa individu dalam sesebuah kontrak sosial itu telah menyerahkan sebahagian kebebasan mereka secara sembunyi mahupun terbuka kepada kuasa pemerintah demi mendapatkan perlindungan hak-hak lain yang masih dipunyai mereka.

Konsep ini mula muncul sejak Zaman Pencerahan, terutamanya melalui sebuah buku yang membicarakan konsep ini bertajuk Du contrat social ou Principes du droit politique ("Kontrak sosial - atau prinsip-prinsip hak politik") karya Jean-Jacques Rousseau pada tahun 1762.

^ J. W. Gough (1936). The Social Contract. Oxford: Clarendon Press. m/s. 2–3. For the name social contract (or original contract) often covers two different kinds of contract, and, in tracing the evolution of the theory, it is well to distinguish them. Both were current in the 17th century and both can be discovered in Greek political thought. ... [The first] generally involved some theory of the origin of the state. The second form of social contract may be more accurately called the contract of government, or the contract of submission.... Generally, it has nothing to do with the origins of society, but, presupposing a society already formed, it purports to define the terms on which that society is to be governed: the people have made a contract with their ruler which determines their relations with him. They promise him obedience, while he promises his protection and good government. While he keeps his part of the bargain, they must keep theirs, but if he misgoverns the contract is broken and allegiance is at an end. Pembaharuan moden teori kontrak sosial tidak begitu tetumpu kepada asal-usul negara.

[1] J. W. Gough (1936). The Social Contract. Oxford: Clarendon Press. m/s. 2–3. For the name social contract (or original contract) often covers two different kinds of contract, and, in tracing the evolution of the theory, it is well to distinguish them. Both were current in the 17th century and both can be discovered in Greek political thought. ... [The first] generally involved some theory of the origin of the state. The second form of social contract may be more accurately called the contract of government, or the contract of submission.... Generally, it has nothing to do with the origins of society, but, presupposing a society already formed, it purports to define the terms on which that society is to be governed: the people have made a contract with their ruler which determines their relations with him. They promise him obedience, while he promises his protection and good government. While he keeps his part of the bargain, they must keep theirs, but if he misgoverns the contract is broken and allegiance is at an end. Pembaharuan moden teori kontrak sosial tidak begitu tetumpu kepada asal-usul negara.

[1]