Social Contract According to Immanuel Kant (Essay Sample)

Social Contract According to Immanuel Kant.
Immanuel Kant outlined his views on the social contract and the function of government in his seminal essay "On the Social Contract." According to Kant, the social contract is more of a concept than a concrete agreement between individuals. Rather than being based on feelings or wants, he believed the contract should be founded on logic. The government enforcing the deal must be founded on the contract itself, and it must be fair to all parties. Kant's views on the social contract and the function of government will be dissected in further depth here. Kant holds the view that the social compact should be founded on reason rather than passion. He also thinks the contract ought to be equitable for all involved and should be enforced by a government founded on contractual principles. These ideas stem from Kant's analysis of the social contract and the role of government.
The social contract should be based on reason, not on emotions or desires. This is because reason is the faculty that enables us to think abstractly and to consider the consequences of our actions. Emotions and desires, on the other hand, are based on particular circumstances and can change from moment to moment. Kant believed that if the social contract were based on reason, it would be more stable and more just (Burnyeat & Johansson, 2022). Kant believed that the social contract should be based on reason because it is the faculty that enables us to think abstractly and to consider the consequences of our actions. He believed that emotions and desires are based on particular circumstances and can change from moment to moment. Therefore, if the social contract were based on reason, it would be more stable and more just.
Kant believed that the social contract should be fair to all parties because it is the agreement that governs their interactions (Burnyeat & Johansson, 2022). This means that each person involved in the contract should be given what they are due, and no one should be taken advantage of. The contract should also be clear and concise so that everyone knows their rights and responsibilities. This would create a society where everyone is treated fairly and no one is taken advantage of, which is the ideal society according to Kant.
The contract should be enforced by a government that is itself based on the contract. The social contract is an agreement between individuals that establishes certain rights and duties and is the basis for the formation of government. The contract should be enforced by a government that is itself based on the contract (Burnyeat & Johansson, 2022). This government would be a "civil society" in which individuals surrender some of their freedom in order to gain the protections and benefits of living in a community. The government would be responsible for protecting the rights of its citizens and for providing for the common good.