In an attempt to answer the question, "Why do we have government?" Thomas Hobbes pondered the Social Contract and provided a base for our Founding Fathers. A social contract is an agreement among people to set up and follow the laws of a government. In exchange for a government, the people may give up some freedoms for protection. However, a person's natural rights or their right to life, liberty and property are protected with a social contract. Members of the newly formed political society should follow given laws and the government provides protection for its citizens as part of the understanding.
Thomas Hobbes was living in a world where many philosophers were trying to understand the nature of government. He was one of the first to discuss the Social Contract between the people and their government. To make this work, both sides have to agree to a plan to reach a shared goal. Hobbes looked at it as giving up rights for protection. But for him, this process did not work both ways. He believed that once the people gave up their rights and power, that they lost the right to overthrow or question the government. He believed that the plan of a Social Contract was best suited with a strong central government. Other philosophers would expand upon the Social Contract.
John Locke's take on the Social Contract was that he believed that a government could only be legitimate when based on a social contract with citizens. For Locke, the contract worked both ways; if the people agreed to give up some freedom then, the government would protect everyone's rights. And if the government fails to deliver then the people absolutely have the right to revolt against them. He thought of this contract as a two way promise, it had to work both ways. Locke also taught that, natural rights are your God given rights. You should have the privileges of life, liberty, and property. Life refers to the fact that people want to live and will fight to survive.
