--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The social pact, far from destroying…" description: "\"The social pact, far from destroying natural equality, substitutes, on the contrary, a moral and lawful equality for whatever physical inequality that ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/016/jean-jacques-rousseau-418_covenant_the-social-pact-far-from-destroying-natu_2916221.jpg" --- # The social pact, far from destroying natural equality… ![“The social pact, far from destroying natural equality, substitutes, on the contrary, a moral and lawful equality for whatever physical inequality that nature may have imposed on mankind; so that however unequal in strength and intelligence, men become equal by covenant and by right.” quote by Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/016/jean-jacques-rousseau-418_covenant_the-social-pact-far-from-destroying-natu_2916221.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/016/jean-jacques-rousseau-418_covenant_the-social-pact-far-from-destroying-natu_2916221.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/016/jean-jacques-rousseau-418_covenant_the-social-pact-far-from-destroying-natu_2916221.jpg) > “The social pact, far from destroying natural equality, substitutes, on the contrary, a moral and lawful equality for whatever physical inequality that nature may have imposed on mankind; so that however unequal in strength and intelligence, men become equal by covenant and by right.” [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The social contract replaces natural inequality with moral equality through law. **In simple terms:** Law creates moral equality despite physical differences. Key Takeaway Promote fair legal frameworks. Themes equality law social contract Mood reflective hopeful Type philosophical political When to use this quote - government policy - civil rights movements - education reform Key Concepts political philosophy justice human rights Questions to Reflect On - How can societies enforce moral equality? - What challenges arise in balancing natural and legal equality? A Different Perspective Implementation may be hindered by power structures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Covenant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/covenant/) [Destroying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destroying/) [Equal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equal/) [Equal Covenant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equal-covenant-4225281/) [Equality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equality/) [Inequality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inequality/) [Lawful Equality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lawful-equality-4225280/) [Mankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mankind/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Moral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moral/) [Natural](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural/) [Natural Equality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural-equality-1411649/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [Pact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pact/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social Pact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-pact-4225279/) [Substitutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/substitutes/) ## Related quotes > [It is to law alone that men owe justice and liberty. It is this salutary organ, of the will of all which establishes in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/it-is-to-law-alone-that-men-owe-justice-and-liberty-it-is-this/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [Modern science has vindicated the natural equality of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/modern-science-has-vindicated-the-natural-equality-of-man/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [The only method of restoring the natural equality of dignity between men and women, lies in the demolishment of that elaborate theological structure which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-battelle-dietrick/the-only-method-of-restoring-the-natural-equality-of-dignity-between/) [Ellen Battelle Dietrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-battelle-dietrick/) > [The foundation on which (our government is) built is the natural equality of man, the denial of every pre-eminence but that annexed to legal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-foundation-on-which-our-government-is-built-is-the-natural/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [I HAVE no patience with the hypothesis occasionally expressed, and often implied, especially in tales written to teach children to be good, that babies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-galton/i-have-no-patience-with-the-hypothesis-occasionally-expressed-and/) [Francis Galton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-galton/) > [This covenant energy holds and mirrors the pact that we have made of self-fulfillment for ourselves in this lifetime, and that covenant energy holds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-mccormick-day/this-covenant-energy-holds-and-mirrors-the-pact-that-we-have-made-of/) [Christine McCormick Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-mccormick-day/) > [The Pacts and Covenants, by which the parts of this Body Politique were at first made, set together, and united, resemble that Fiat, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hobbes/the-pacts-and-covenants-by-which-the-parts-of-this-body-politique/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hobbes/) > [The word ‘slavery’ and ‘right’ are contradictory, they cancel each other out. Whether as between one man and another, or between one man and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/the-word-slavery-and-right-are-contradictory-they-cancel-each-other/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [ In the trade pact you know that was recently agreed to, I said you have to talk about devaluation. Because that's been their \[China\]… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/in-the-trade-pact-you-know-that-was-recently-agreed-to-i-said-you/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [“It is often much harder to get rid of books than to acquire them. They stick to us in that pact of need and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-mar-a-dom-nguez/it-is-often-much-harder-to-get-rid-of-books-than-to-acquire-them-they/) [Carlos María Domínguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-mar-a-dom-nguez/) > [I made a pact with myself a long time ago: Never watch anything stupider than you. It's helped me a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bette-midler/i-made-a-pact-with-myself-a-long-time-ago-never-watch-anything/) [Bette Midler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bette-midler/) > [Germany has always stood for an E.U. of the 27 countries. But in light of Britain's continued resistance to further integration steps, as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-schauble/germany-has-always-stood-for-an-e-u-of-the-27-countries-but-in-light/) [Wolfgang Schauble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-schauble/) > [I really pulled back on my career when the kids were young and my husband and I made a pact never to work while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blythe-danner/i-really-pulled-back-on-my-career-when-the-kids-were-young-and-my/) [Blythe Danner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blythe-danner/) > [I may add that we have more than once stated our willingness to conclude nonaggression pacts with the states neighboring our own!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/i-may-add-that-we-have-more-than-once-stated-our-willingness-to/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [“We are born, and at that moment, it is as if we had signed a pact for the rest of our life, but a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-saramago/we-are-born-and-at-that-moment-it-is-as-if-we-had-signed-a-pact-for/) [José Saramago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-saramago/) ## More by Jean-Jacques Rousseau > [Her dignity consists in being unknown to the world; her glory is in the esteem of her husband; her pleasures in the happiness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/her-dignity-consists-in-being-unknown-to-the-world-her-glory-is-in/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [Take the course opposite to custom and you will almost always do well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/take-the-course-opposite-to-custom-and-you-will-almost-always-do-well/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [Everything we do not have at our birth and which we need when we are grown is given to us by education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/everything-we-do-not-have-at-our-birth-and-which-we-need-when-we-are/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [The first person who, having enclosed a plot of land, took it into his head to say this is mine and found people simple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/the-first-person-who-having-enclosed-a-plot-of-land-took-it-into-his/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [...in respect of riches, no citizen shall ever be wealthy enough to buy another, and none poor enough to be forced to sell himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/in-respect-of-riches-no-citizen-shall-ever-be-wealthy-enough-to-buy/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [Take from the philosopher the pleasure of being heard and his desire for knowledge ceases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/take-from-the-philosopher-the-pleasure-of-being-heard-and-his-desire/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [Men, in general, are not this or that, they are what they are made to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/men-in-general-are-not-this-or-that-they-are-what-they-are-made-to-be/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [I would rather be a man of paradoxes than a man of prejudices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/i-would-rather-be-a-man-of-paradoxes-than-a-man-of-prejudices/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [“O Fabricius! What would your great soul have thought, if to your own misfortune you had been called back to life and had seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/o-fabricius-what-would-your-great-soul-have-thought-if-to-your-own/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [“The sword wears out its sheath, as it is sometimes said. That is my story. My passions have made me live, and my passions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/the-sword-wears-out-its-sheath-as-it-is-sometimes-said-that-is-my/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [Whence do I get my rules of conduct? I find them in my heart. Whatever I feel to be good is good. Whatever I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/whence-do-i-get-my-rules-of-conduct-i-find-them-in-my-heart-whatever/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [“If one divided all of human science into two parts - the one common to all men, the other particular to the learned -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/if-one-divided-all-of-human-science-into-two-parts-the-one-common-to/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [The social compact sets up among the citizens as equality of such kind, that they all bind themselves to observe the same conditions and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/the-social-compact-sets-up-among-the-citizens-as-equality-of-such/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [I do not know is a phrase which becomes us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/i-do-not-know-is-a-phrase-which-becomes-us/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [“How could I become wicked, when I had nothing but examples of gentleness before my eyes, and none around me but the best people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/how-could-i-become-wicked-when-i-had-nothing-but-examples-of/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) [Explore all 518 Jean-Jacques Rousseau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) ## More Covenant quotes > [ T\]he church is not a place. It's not a building. It's not a preaching point. It's not a spiritual service provider. It's a people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/t-he-church-is-not-a-place-it-s-not-a-building-it-s-not-a-preaching/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [God will keep His promises to you as you honor your covenants with Him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carole-m-stephens/god-will-keep-his-promises-to-you-as-you-honor-your-covenants-with-him/) [Carole M. Stephens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carole-m-stephens/) > [“God is worming out His and our adversaries, which He will do by little and little, till they be consumed. The covenant is seasonable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/various/god-is-worming-out-his-and-our-adversaries-which-he-will-do-by-little/) [Various](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/various/) > [There is no more blessed way of living, than the life of faith based upon a covenant-keepin g God - to know that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/there-is-no-more-blessed-way-of-living-than-the-life-of-faith-based/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [White and shining virgin of all human virtues, ark of the covenant between earth and heaven, tender and strong companion partaking of the lion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/white-and-shining-virgin-of-all-human-virtues-ark-of-the-covenant/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [The average citizen expresses pride in the American Bill of Rights and then seeks to protect his real estate by restrictive covenants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-allen-overstreet/the-average-citizen-expresses-pride-in-the-american-bill-of-rights/) [Harry Allen Overstreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-allen-overstreet/) > [The only compensation, gained through the influence of nongovernmental organizations, consisted in slightly broadening for private individuals the possibility of access and appeal to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rene-cassin/the-only-compensation-gained-through-the-influence-of-nongovernmental/) [Rene Cassin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rene-cassin/) > [Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins is an essential covenant to make with the Lord. Faith and repentance precede this ordinance. Confirmation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-theodore-tuttle/baptism-by-immersion-for-the-remission-of-sins-is-an-essential/) [A. Theodore Tuttle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-theodore-tuttle/) > [Peace does not rest in the charters and covenants alone. It lies in the hearts and minds of all people. So let us not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/peace-does-not-rest-in-the-charters-and-covenants-alone-it-lies-in/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [Modern societies accepted the treasures and the power offered them by science. But they have not accepted - they have scarcely even heard -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-monod/modern-societies-accepted-the-treasures-and-the-power-offered-them-by/) [Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) > [A covenant is an agreement between God and man, an accord whose terms are set by God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-todd-christofferson/a-covenant-is-an-agreement-between-god-and-man-an-accord-whose-terms/) [D. Todd Christofferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-todd-christofferson/) > [A group is as healthy as its 'social contract' is clear; a congregation as faithful as its covenant is mutually understood; a pastor as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-group-is-as-healthy-as-its-social-contract-is-clear-a-congregation/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is no exception to this rule: "All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant." They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/there-is-no-exception-to-this-rule-all-the-paths-of-the-lord-are/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [What I am trying to teach is that when we keep the temple covenants we have made and when we live righteously in order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-g-scott/what-i-am-trying-to-teach-is-that-when-we-keep-the-temple-covenants/) [Richard G. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-g-scott/) > [No love can be bound by oath or covenant to secure it against a higher love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/no-love-can-be-bound-by-oath-or-covenant-to-secure-it-against-a/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) [Browse all 421 Covenant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/covenant/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The social pact, far from destroying natural equality, substitutes, on the contrary, a moral and lawful equality for whatever physical inequality that nature may have imposed on mankind; so that however unequal in strength and intelligence, men become equal by covenant and by right.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jean-Jacques Rousseau" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/the-social-pact-far-from-destroying-natural-equality-substitutes-on/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Covenant" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/the-social-pact-far-from-destroying-natural-equality-substitutes-on/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/016/jean-jacques-rousseau-418_covenant_the-social-pact-far-from-destroying-natu_2916221.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/016/jean-jacques-rousseau-418_covenant_the-social-pact-far-from-destroying-natu_2916221.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/016/jean-jacques-rousseau-418_covenant_the-social-pact-far-from-destroying-natu_2916221.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The social pact, far from destroying natural equality, substitutes, on the contrary, a moral and lawful…” — Jean-Jacques Rousseau", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jean-Jacques Rousseau", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The social pact, far from destroying...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/the-social-pact-far-from-destroying-natural-equality-substitutes-on/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/the-social-pact-far-from-destroying-natural-equality-substitutes-on/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```