social contract

American  

[soh-shuhl kon-trakt] / ˈsoʊ ʃəl ˈkɒn trækt /

noun

1. 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.

2. an agreement for mutual benefit between an individual or group and the government or community as a whole.

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social contract British  

noun

1. (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

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Etymology

Origin of social contract

First recorded in 1840–50

Example Sentences

These contributions were made with the understanding that they were participating in a long-term social contract.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 2, 2026

It’s tempting to see these developments as a victory, as the rule of law slowly reasserting itself over a deadly aberration in America’s social contract.

From Slate • Jan. 29, 2026

Japan has an incredible social contract, and has handled the birth decline so much better than most countries would.

From Barron's • Dec. 31, 2025

Do they help to define a new social contract between private citizens, private businesses and public institutions?

From Salon • Dec. 31, 2024

Amalgamation, centralized conflict resolution, decision making, economic redistribution, and kleptocratic religion don’t just develop automatically through a Rousseauesque social contract.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond