The political philosophical tradition explaining the origin and legitimacy of political authority through a (real or hypothetical) contract among individuals — moving from a pre-political state of nature to organized civil society.
Three classical versions: Hobbes (Leviathan, 1651): state of nature is war of all against all; individuals contract to give absolute power to a sovereign for security. Locke (Two Treatises, 1690): state of nature has natural rights; contract creates limited government to protect them; right of revolution when violated. Rousseau (Social Contract, 1762): the general will as the basis of legitimate authority; authentic freedom requires giving up natural license for civil freedom under self-given law. Rawls's revival: the original position behind a veil of ignorance as a hypothetical contract for deriving principles of justice.
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