social contract
[ soh-shuhl kon-trakt ]
/ ˈsoʊ ʃəl ˈkɒn trækt /
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noun
the voluntary agreement among individuals by which, according to any of various theories, as of Hobbes, Locke, or Rousseau, organized society is brought into being and invested with the right to secure mutual protection and welfare or to regulate the relations among its members.
an agreement for mutual benefit between an individual or group and the government or community as a whole.
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Also called so·cial com·pact [soh-shuhl kom-pakt] /ˈsoʊ ʃəl ˈkɒm pækt/ .
Origin of social contract
First recorded in 1840–50
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use social contract in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for social contract
social contract
social compact
noun
(in the theories of Locke, Hobbes, Rousseau, and others) an agreement, entered into by individuals, that results in the formation of the state or of organized society, the prime motive being the desire for protection, which entails the surrender of some or all personal liberties
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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