The social contract is a concept in moral and political philosophy that concerns the legitimacy of the authority of the state over the individual. It is an idea, theory, or model that argues that individuals have consented, either explicitly or tacitly, to surrender some of their freedoms and submit to the authority of the ruler or to the decision of a majority in exchange for protection of their remaining rights or maintenance of the social order. The social contract theory is nearly as old as philosophy itself and is associated with philosophers such as Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau.

The social contract theory typically involves two key principles. The first principle states that each person in a society is to have as much basic liberty as possible, as long as everyone is granted the same liberties. The second principle involves imbuing some one person or assembly of persons with the authority and power to enforce the initial contract. In other words, to ensure their escape from the State of Nature, individuals must both agree to live together under common laws and create an enforcement mechanism for the social contract and the laws that constitute it.

The terms of the social contract can vary widely and can include agreements on how communal relations are managed, women’s rights, and many other issues. In return for these rights, people pay taxes and consent to the authority of the state. The social contract is an implicit agreement between the people and their government about what each side provides to the other.

The social contract theory aims to show that members of some society have reason to endorse and comply with the fundamental social rules, laws, institutions, and/or principles of that society. The ultimate goal of social contract theories is to show that social (moral, political, legal, etc.) rules can be rationally justified.