What does the Social Contract Theory suggest about the formation of states?

The Social Contract Theory posits that legitimate governmental authority arises from a mutual agreement among individuals to form a society and establish a governing body. According to this theory, individuals consent to relinquish certain freedoms and submit to the authority of a government in exchange for protection of their remaining rights and maintenance of social order. This reciprocal arrangement underscores that the government's legitimacy is derived from the consent of the governed, reflecting a collective decision to create an organized community that provides security and public welfare.

This perspective contrasts with other theories of state formation, such as the idea of divine right, which asserts that states are divinely ordained, or the belief that states are solely the result of military conquests, which focuses on force rather than cooperation and consent. Similarly, the notion that governments exist only for economic reasons overlooks the broader social and political functions that they serve, including establishing justice and ensuring the social contract between citizens and their government. Therefore, the central tenet of Social Contract Theory emphasizes the voluntary agreement among individuals to form a society and accept governance in exchange for protection and the benefit of communal living.