The social compact theory derives from the idea that the state of nature is so unpleasant that we willingly give up some of our rights to live under the rule of law. That rule of law is not unlimited; the laws must be adopted with the consent of the governed and equally applied. The Bill of Rights and structures such as separation of powers are two mechanisms for guaranteeing that 51% will not oppress the other 49% (and that is a best case scenario; it is often 15% who are rich and influential telling the other 85% how to live).
The current COVID-19 crisis is building on the existing shattering of the social compact. For several decades, a minority that fancies themselves smarter and more rational than the masses, have been striking down the social compact by ordering the majority to give up the writing of our laws. Because this destruction of the social compact started out disfranchising a racist majority in some states who were using democracy to violate rights guaranteed by the Bill of Rights, it was pretty easy for both the elites and even much of the masses to say, "Okay. These creeps deserved to be disempowered."
In the last few years, as the elites chose to overturn laws far removed from race (transgender bathrooms, abortion on demand), just to remind us that what we believe is narrow-minded and backward, there has been an unsurprising rebellion, of which President Trump's 2016 victory was an example.
Today, that notion that the social compact can be ignored if we do not like it has come full circle. The elites insisted "My body, my choice," and shockingly enough, many Americans are saying that about vaccination. Much of our elite has demonstrated that they feel no need to obey the masking, vaccination, and social distancing rules they insist we follow.
If you want people to take the social compact of giving up some rights for the common good, you need to honor the social compact so that most Americans do not feel that they are ignored.
No comments:
Post a Comment