Texes Social Studies Content Practice Exam

Which Enlightenment thinker is best known for the concept of the "social contract"?

1. John Locke

2. Jean-Jacques Rousseau

3. Thomas Hobbes

4. Montesquieu

The correct answer is: Jean-Jacques Rousseau

The Enlightenment thinker best known for the concept of the "social contract" is Jean-Jacques Rousseau. His influential work, "The Social Contract," published in 1762, outlines his ideas about the collective agreement among individuals to form a society and the moral and political obligations that arise from this agreement. Rousseau argues that legitimate political authority rests on the consent of the governed and emphasizes the importance of the general will, which represents the collective interest of the people. While other thinkers like Thomas Hobbes and John Locke also discussed social contracts, their interpretations differ significantly from Rousseau’s. Hobbes viewed the social contract as a means for individuals to escape the brutish nature of the state of nature by surrendering their rights to a sovereign authority in exchange for protection. Locke, on the other hand, saw it as a way to protect natural rights and advocated for governance based on the consent of the governed, allowing for the possibility of rebellion against unjust rulers. In contrast, Rousseau's perspective is more focused on equality and collective decision-making, making his approach uniquely influential in the context of modern democratic theory. Montesquieu, although a notable thinker in political philosophy, is recognized for his ideas on the separation of powers rather than the social