The Social Contract
Compare and contrast the arguments of two of the following three social contract theorists: Hobbes, Locke and/or Rousseau. When writing your answer please be sure to address the following specific issues:
1) Explain and analyze the theorists’ use of human nature and the state of nature.
2) Define and explain how a citizen becomes part of the social contract and to what extent the theorists rely on the consent of the governed.
3) What are the major features of the political system and how is it supposed to make decisions?
4) What are the duties, rights, and responsibilities of citizenship if any?
5) How may a citizen, if at all, leave the social contract? Lastly
6) which of the contract theorists do you find most persuasive and why? Are their ideas still relevant to contemporary political problems?
