Unit 2 Reflection: Synthesis Essay

The duties of a government and its people revolve around the Social Contract Theory.  It is through the Social Contract that responsibility even exists.  Because the people come together to form this compact, they all have roles to play.  Individuals ought to behave morally while governments ought to provide protection and justice.
              The idea of the Social Contract emerges when individuals decide to come together and work as one unit.  By creating this system, the people become dependent on one another.  No longer is every man for himself; rather every man is somewhat bound together by his legs.  Therefore, individuals have the obligation to look out for their collective well-being.   Men are expected to be less selfish and work toward the common good.  When they vote, they must vote for what they believe will be best for the community as a whole, rather than what they believe will be best for themselves.  As Locke stated in the Second Treatise of Civil Government, “Every man, by consenting with others to make one body  politic under one government, puts himself under an obligation, to every one  of that society, to submit to the determination of the majority, and to be  concluded by it” (Locke).  By entering the Social Contract, therefore, individuals must work for the majority as well as accept the vote of the majority.  In other words, they have the duty to look beyond their own self-interests and consider those around them.

A similar position was taken by Rousseau when he stated, “Only when the voice of duty replaces physical impulse and when right replaces the cravings of appetite does the man… realize that he is under compulsion to obey quite different principles, and that he must now consult his reason and not merely respond to the promptings of desire” (Rousseau).  Essentially, an individual’s responsibility in his society is to act morally.  Only then will the exchange of personal freedom for government be worthwhile.  By acting morally, people live more pleasantly and less violently.  They promote common good and aid a healthy government.

The government’s role in society, on the other hand, is simply to uphold its side of the Social Contract.  It should enforce moral laws by protecting its citizens and punishing those who impose injustice.  It should also offer convenience and stability to its people.  Ultimately, its sole purpose is to create a more pleasant and civilized life for people.  In some special cases, however, the government must know when to use a heavy hand.  While it has a responsibility to act in accordance with the people’s will, the people are not always right.  Machiavelli acknowledged this when he wrote that “a prince must know how to use wisely the natures of the beast and the man” (Machiavelli).   If a ruler surrenders himself to the pure democracy of his people, he may find that his society will be victim to human nature; as a result, the people will suffer from the same mistakes repeatedly.  In order to avoid past mistakes, the government has the obligation to temporarily suspend the rights of the people and to use its better judgment to save the people from their dooms.   It is only through the fulfillment of these duties that a civilization can last.  Therefore, when the framework of the system is at stake, government must exercise full power to maintain it.   It has the responsibility to do for the people what they know not better to do for themselves.

According to the Social Contract Theory, the people and their government establish interdependent roles.  The people agree to come together in exchange for stability, protection and convenience.  In return, they have the responsibility to behave with good conduct and vote on behalf of the common good rather than personal advantage.  The government’s job is to enforce the laws of morality that come along with the Social Contract so that the people do not live like animals.