When is the government right to pass laws that limit our freedom?
When has it abused its authority?

When is the government justified to punish and hurt us?
When has it gone too far?

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    Thinking of government as a social contract which has been made between its citizens is a powerful way of thinking about the authority of the state--the origins, extent, and limits of its powers.

    The social contract theory begins with a basic assumption that individuals ought to be considered as free, prior to government, and with a basic theory about what motivates human behavior.   Thinkers like Hobbes and Beccaria argued that if we accept these assumptions, then we can rationally deduce what will be the best possible government--one that allows us to retain as much of our freedom as possible, while creating as much order and stability as is necessary for us to live happily together.

To follow their arguments, click on STEP 1 to the left...