Do you believe in Locke's Social Contract?


Please explain your answers.

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"During my service in the United States Congress, I took the initiative in creating the Internet" -Al Gore

To paraphrase the Libertarian presidentail candidate Michael Badnarik (who I think is a loon, but has said some worthwhile things nonetheless), "Every freedom comes with a responsibility."

If a man wants protection from murder, he must likewise forefeit his freedom to murder others.

However, I believe that a total implementation of the Social Contract (which would, in theory, allow people to simply "drop out" of the state) would be dangerous and lead to one of two things:
1) parasites (i.e. stateless people who still receive, for example, police protection because the police cannot differentiate), or
2) dangerous social collectivism (i.e. in an effort to make it possible for police to differentiate, they give people who are in the state markings - then people start getting kicked out).


As in most situations, it is the middle road which would work best.

We give up some rights to get some rights. Don't like it, leave.

Calling it a "Social contract" is a good way to rationalize it.

Edit: according to the definition, you have to leave the state to drop out of the contract...

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"The belief that nothing exists outside your own mind--surely there must be some way of demonstrating that it was false" - 1984

That depends on how the society and government define property rights. Under ultra-capitalist regimes it would not implausible for people to start dropping out of the state but keeping their property there and using government services such as roads without practicing reprimand.

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"Nothing is true. Everything is permitted." - Hassan-i-Saba