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HereSince1628

(36,063 posts)

10. As I remember it from ~40 years ago, society needed a division of roles...

Sun Apr 19, 2015, 07:25 PM

Apr 2015

in order to raise life above the competition/exploitations and predations of humans a brutes of nature. This requires a potential loss of liberty which is itself defined by the will of the people.

The people's expressed will was expected to be accommodated by a body of governors which might include various agents, bureaucracies, and as you suggest such things as police.

The need for a governing body wasn't because the people were incapable of erecting values that would guide society, but because dealing with the details was impossible for the population as a whole to live their daily lives and also tend to specific actions required to address the particular situations that arose from governing according to the people's will. Which I suppose could include policing, but also the actions of courts to settle disputes and address criminal acts, and today would possibly include publically owned utilities.

So I think you are right. The police as agents of the governing body are supposed to be acting within the limits of the will of the people. It's pretty clear that people wouldn't want to be brutalized as rising above the brutality of human nature was the basis for coming together into community.

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Social contract. Political Theory Thread [View all] Ed Suspicious Apr 2015 OP

Man, if anybody here would take a stab at this or even took the time to tell me to piss off Ed Suspicious Apr 2015 #1

Sorry, not something I am knowledgeable in. Interesting though. liberal_at_heart Apr 2015 #2

Thanks for replying. Feels a little less lonely now. Ed Suspicious Apr 2015 #3

I believe it is a contract among individuals PowerToThePeople Apr 2015 #4

That makes sense. So we are the principles. We create the government and empower the governement Ed Suspicious Apr 2015 #8

I have not read the book, but I think this is addressed in 'The Social Contract' Raine1967 Apr 2015 #5

Thank you. I'll check it out. Ed Suspicious Apr 2015 #13

here is something else that might be of assistance: Raine1967 Apr 2015 #6

Contract theory is a horrbile theoretical basis for a society. rug Apr 2015 #7

I very much appreciate your input and will be reading at the link shortly. Ed Suspicious Apr 2015 #12

I believe your premise is correct. Raine1967 Apr 2015 #18

A social contract is agreement among individuals in a society on point Apr 2015 #9

As I remember it from ~40 years ago, society needed a division of roles... HereSince1628 Apr 2015 #10

Thank you. You just made me think of Rawls' veil of ignorance for determining whether police action Ed Suspicious Apr 2015 #15

Depends... who you read nadinbrzezinski Apr 2015 #11

I'm thinking Rousseau wrote similar things to what the OP is thinking... HereSince1628 Apr 2015 #14

Yeah, but he should look at Rawls nadinbrzezinski Apr 2015 #16

I was just thinking about Rawls. I'm not well read in his work but I am aware of his "original Ed Suspicious Apr 2015 #17

You welcome, I discovered rawls during Occupy nadinbrzezinski Apr 2015 #19