To answer this question, we must split into parts. The first part will be identifying and defining the philosophies, the second part will be applying the political philosophies towards the events, and the last part is to identify whether or not King George in fact has violated the social contract. Before we start to identify the philosophies, it is important to ask, What is a social construct? A social construct, in this case, is "an ideal that has been created and accepted by society".
Identifying and defining the philosophies
One of the most important information to understand is that all three of the political philosophies share some common denominator. In each, they agree that in order to obtain societal stability and peace, individuals who partake in society must be able to give up some forms of their naturalistic freedoms in order to create a just and fair society. In a utopian nature, this can be defined as what is morally right, and that that, which is deemed as morally right in this case, would be legitimized and established. In the idealistic sense, a person would surrender individual supreme freedom in order to allow society to grant every individual ' "equal rights" '.
However, each individual philosophies differ on the natural rights, humanistic rights, and relinquished rights. Thomas Hobbes, for example, states that humans have all natural rights, and that they may peruse their individual rights for self-preservation (Person vs. Nature, Person vs. Society). However, humans are generally sociable people, and to be able to not only prolong but also to advance humanity, individual rights are sacrificed for what can be termed as the greater good. Hobbes takes the stance of a autocracy that in return for the sacrificed rights, must provide security and safety. If however, the autocracy fails to ensure their safety, then the Individuals may leave. John Locke, on the other hand, while building upon Hobbes' philosophy, called for limitation of autocracy, and instead calls for a central authority that guarantees the fundamental rights, but can be replaced if it fails at its role. Jean-Jacques Rousseau established that society and government is on equal footing and that both are dependent on each other not only in protecting individual free will, but also representing the will of the people.
Violations of King George (examples)
In the Declaration of Independence, the colonists exemplify the violations of King George, in which he not only impedes on the rights of society, but also in turn individual rights. For example, it is stated that, quote:
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people. (Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson)
Rousseau's position, in this case, supports the case in point. The Representative House of the Parliament is the elected officials by the populations. First, we must define dissolved (to close down or dismiss). As such, King George impede on the rights of society in failing to give them a voice in the government (Rousseau).
For another example:
He has refused to pass other laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to term and formidable to tyrants only.
Hobbes and Rosseau's positions, in this case, supports the case in point. King George relinquishes the rights of the people (A example of Hobbes' sacrificing individual rights for the "greater good").
Hobbes's position can be exemplified by the laws passed during this time:
- Quartering Act of 1765: Sacrificing individual rights to property to house British soldiers in the name of security of the general public.
- [Any Act that is passed for] tax: Sacrificing individual income and paying taxes for everyday items in an effort to pay off debts incurred.
Rosseau, on the other hand, supports this position as the people did not ask for the protection, and the soldiers impede on the individual freedom, that being privacy, in this particular situation.
As seen in the examples, each individual grievance can be taken to fall under the failure to uphold the rights of the people, and either can be defined under the philosophy or is an example for the philosophy.
You may use the examples applied above as well as the philosophies definitions to understand which violations can fall under which philosophy.
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Learn more about the philosophies, as well as their application to the justifications used in the US's Declaration of Independence, here:
https://brainly.com/question/2805349 - Comparison of Democratic theories.
https://brainly.com/question/579893 - Why are people willing to enter into a social contract?
