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Difficulty: EasyEnlightenment Thought and Social Contract Theories

The following passage is from the French *Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen*, approved by the National Assembly of France in 1789:

'1. Men are born and remain free and equal in rights. Social distinctions may be founded only upon the general good.
2. The aim of all political association is the preservation of the natural and imprescriptible rights of man. These rights are liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression.
3. The principle of all sovereignty resides essentially in the nation. No body nor individual may exercise any authority which does not proceed directly from the nation.'

Which of the following political theories is most directly expressed in this document?

  1. The social contract theory, which asserts that governments exist to protect natural rights and derive authority from the nationAnswer
  2. B
    The mercantilist economic model, which advocates for strict government regulation of trade and the accumulation of gold and silver
  3. C
    The theory of Social Darwinism, which argues that wealth inequalities and social hierarchies are the result of natural selection
  4. D
    The Marxist theory of class conflict, which calls for the revolutionary overthrow of capitalism and the complete abolition of private property

Answer

The social contract theory, which asserts that governments exist to protect natural rights and derive authority from the nation
The correct option is the social contract theory because the document explicitly outlines the purpose of political association as the preservation of natural rights (liberty, property, security) and locates political sovereignty within the nation (the governed), reflecting the core ideas of Enlightenment thinkers like John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the provided text from the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.
Identify key phrases: 'natural and imprescriptible rights' (liberty, property, security) and 'sovereignty resides essentially in the nation' (authority comes from the people).
Understanding the source's main arguments is necessary to match them with historical theories.
2
Compare the identified key concepts to major historical political and economic theories.
The concept of natural rights and popular sovereignty directly corresponds to Enlightenment social contract theories (Locke, Rousseau). Theories like mercantilism (economic control), Social Darwinism (nineteenth-century racial/social hierarchy), and Marxism (nineteenth-century communism/abolition of property) either arose later or represent entirely different concepts.
This comparison allows us to select the correct historical framework that inspired the document.

Key Concept

Social contract theory and natural rights in Enlightenment political philosophy
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Enlightenment Thought and Social Contract Theories

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