--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The theory of social contracts extends as…" description: "\"The theory of social contracts extends as far back as Plato. However, it was the great 18th century social philosophers John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, and ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e56/simon-mainwaring-3578_18th-century_the-theory-of-social-contracts-extends-a_192073.png" --- # The theory of social contracts extends as far back as… ![“The theory of social contracts extends as far back as Plato. However, it was the great 18th century social philosophers John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau who brought the concept of a social contract between citizens and governments sharply into political thinking, paving the way…” quote by Simon Mainwaring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e56/simon-mainwaring-3578_18th-century_the-theory-of-social-contracts-extends-a_192073.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e56/simon-mainwaring-3578_18th-century_the-theory-of-social-contracts-extends-a_192073.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e56/simon-mainwaring-3578_18th-century_the-theory-of-social-contracts-extends-a_192073.png) > “The theory of social contracts extends as far back as Plato. However, it was the great 18th century social philosophers John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau who brought the concept of a social contract between citizens and governments sharply into political thinking, paving the way for popular democracy and constitutional republicanism.” [Simon Mainwaring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-mainwaring/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage outlines the historical development of social contract theory, highlighting its roots in Plato and its refinement by Locke, Hobbes, and Rousseau, which shaped modern democracy. **In simple terms:** Social contract ideas evolved from ancient to modern thinkers, influencing democracy. Key Takeaway Understand the foundations of democratic governance. Themes political philosophy social contract democracy Mood analytical thoughtful Type historical political When to use this quote - civic education - policy making - public debates - community organizing Key Concepts liberalism government legitimacy citizen rights Questions to Reflect On - How do modern societies reflect or diverge from these original ideas? - What responsibilities do citizens have under a social contract? A Different Perspective The theory can oversimplify complex power dynamics and ignore marginalized voices. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [18th century](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/18th-century/) [Century](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/century/) [Citizens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizens/) [Concepts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concepts/) [Contract Citizens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contract-citizens-2027060/) [Contracts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contracts/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hobbes/) [Jacques rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jacques-rousseau/) [Jean jacques rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jean-jacques-rousseau-96498/) [Jean-jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jean-jacques-rousseau/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/john-locke/) [Paving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paving/) [Paving the way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paving-the-way/) [Philosopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosopher/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-thinking/) [Republicanism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/republicanism/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social contract](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-contract/) [Social Contracts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-contracts-758531/) [Social Philosophers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-philosophers-1971592/) [Theory Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theory-social-2027061/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Thomas Hobbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thomas-hobbes/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [However, it was the great 18th century social philosophers John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau who brought the concept of a social contract…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-mainwaring/however-it-was-the-great-18th-century-social-philosophers-john-locke/) [Simon Mainwaring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-mainwaring/) > [“That educators who have repeatedly failed to do what they are hired to do, and trained to do, should take on sweeping roles as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/that-educators-who-have-repeatedly-failed-to-do-what-they-are-hired/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [In the technical realm, we repeatedly enter into a series of social contracts, the terms of which are revealed only after the signing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/langdon-winner/in-the-technical-realm-we-repeatedly-enter-into-a-series-of-social/) [Langdon Winner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/langdon-winner/) > [“The way law stays alive is by remaining in touch with social contracts pieced together among real people on the ground.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hernando-de-soto/the-way-law-stays-alive-is-by-remaining-in-touch-with-social/) [Hernando de Soto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hernando-de-soto/) > [“I have called it a Great Splintering, not purely an economic phenomenon, but a social one: an era where social contracts are being torn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umair-haque/i-have-called-it-a-great-splintering-not-purely-an-economic/) [Umair Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umair-haque/) > [Mobile communications and pervasive computing technologies, together with social contracts that were never possible before, are already beginning to change the way people meet,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-rheingold/mobile-communications-and-pervasive-computing-technologies-together/) [Howard Rheingold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-rheingold/) > [What's gotten in the way of education in the United States is a theory of social engineering that says there is ONE RIGHT WAY…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor-gatto/what-s-gotten-in-the-way-of-education-in-the-united-states-is-a/) [John Taylor Gatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taylor-gatto/) > [“I will repeat the following until I am hoarse: it is contagion that determines the fate of a theory in social science, not its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/i-will-repeat-the-following-until-i-am-hoarse-it-is-contagion-that/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [“Every theory of social action is ultimately a philosophy of history. 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