The Radical Nature of Social Contract Theorists Essay

Man is increasingly intrigued by human nature and how society functions. Because of this interest, there is a plethora of concepts surrounding man and his condition. The social contract, an agreement among individuals where individuals must sacrifice something for protection, is a cornerstone in the operation of society. Over the years, various social contract theorists have worked to understand the ties that bind man. Karl Marx, Charles Darwin, and Friedrich Nietzsche, each felt constrained by their times, and because of this introduced radical concepts surrounding the social contract. Each of the philosophers’ revolutionary concepts challenges power and even though their arguments differ dramatically Nietzsche can be viewed as the most†¦show more content†¦According to Marx’s view of capitalism, every company works to make a profit, because without profit there is no reason to exist. He said that labor is a commodity that carries an exchange value to be trade d for something else, but questioned how profit is made if commodities exchange in equilibrium. His answer was that profit is made when workers are exploited, or work part of the time without pay. Marx believed that if there were no workers there would be no profit and ultimately no capitalism. The issue is that human suffering, however, is good for business according to Marx. People are born into a preexisting system, because the economy forces people into social relations and roles, and because of this, workers truly felt that they would never become free from the capitalist class unless they had the ability to produce a living. Marx found this to be unjust and felt there should be a redistribution of wealth. Marx’s attack on capitalism, however, angered the bourgeois ruling class greatly, and his ideologies caused uproar. Marx was accused of overthrowing private property and capitalism, and leading the proletariat to rebel. He is noted to have caused working class upheaval s and political revolution. Karl Marx’s work was a disturbance to society, which is why heShow MoreRelatedCompare and Contrast Hobbes’s and Locke’s Views of the State of Nature and the Fundamental Purpose of Political Society. Whose View Is the More Plausible? Why?1564 Words   |  7 Pagesthe state of nature and the fundamental purpose of political society. Whose view is the more plausible? Why? Introduction Thomas Hobbes and John Locke were both natural law theorists and social contracts theorists. While most natural law theorists have predominantly been of the opinion that humans are social animals by nature, Locke and Hobbes had a different perspective. Their points of view were remarkably different from those perpetuated by other natural law theorists. 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